Tag Archives: Japan

Bill Gates mRNA Vaccine Approved With Zero Safety Data?!

Was a new self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine funded by Bill Gates just approved with zero safety data?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Bill Gates mRNA Vaccine Approved With Zero Safety Data!

People are sharing an article by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), suggesting or claiming that a new self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine funded by Bill Gates was just approved with zero safety data!

Here is an excerpt from the article (archive), which is really long. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Bill Gates ‘Self-Amplifying mRNA’ COVID Shot Approved For Public Use With Zero Safety Data

Recommended : Are mRNA Vaccines Contaminated With SV40 DNA?!

 

Truth : No Bill Gates mRNA Vaccine Was Approved!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Evidence Bill Gates Funded Daiichi-Sankyo Vaccine

Let me just start by pointing out that the new COVID-19 vaccine in question was developed by Daiichi-Sankyo, and is called DAICHIRONA for Intramuscular Injection (DS-5670).

The Daiichi Sankyo DS-5670 vaccine was developed through the “Vaccine Development Project”, which is funded by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and development (AMED), as well as the “Urgent Improvement Project for Vaccine Manufacturing Systems” supported by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW).

There is no evidence that Bill Gates personally funded the development of this vaccine. There is certainly no evidence he owns this COVID-19 vaccine.

Fact #2 : GHIT Fund Targets Drugs For Developing Countries

The link provided in The People’s Voice article does not show Bill Gates funding the Daiichi Sankyo vaccine. It actually links to a Daiichi Sankyo page on the GHIT (Global Health Innovative Technology) Fund that it created in April 2013.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports the GHIT Fund, together with the government of Japan, and five Japanese pharmaceutical companies. The GHIT Fund, however, is targeted at developing drugs for combating infectious diseases in developing countries like Chagas disease and malaria.

The GHIT fund has nothing to do with COVID-19 vaccines. The funding by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation would therefore have nothing to do with the development of the Daiichi Sankyo DAICHIRONA vaccine.

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Bill Gates For Murder?!

Fact #3 : Daiichi Sankyo Vaccine Was Tested

The claim that the Daiichi Sankyo mRNA vaccine for COVID-19 was approved without testing is without merit, and evidence. The article certainly provided no evidence the DAICHIRONA vaccine was approved without testing.

A quick search would show Daiichi Sankyo researchers published the results from their Phase 2 clinical study on 31 August 2023, in the journal Vaccine. The study was also registered with the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials with the Trial ID of jRCT2071210086.

On 15 November 2022, Daiichi Sankyo announced that it successfully complete the Phase 1/2/3 trial of its DS-5670 mRNA vaccine (PDF), involving 5,000 Japanese adults and senior citizens. It applied for vaccine approval in January 2023, and received it on 2 August 2023 (PDF).

On 7 September 2023, Daiichi Sankyo announced (PDF) that it successfully completed the Phase 3 trial of the improved DS-5670 bivalent vaccine that began in May 2023 (PDF). That was the basis for its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) on the same day (PDF), which was approved on 28 November 2023 (PDF).

In short – the original and improved bivalent Daiichi Sankyo vaccines underwent and passed clinical trials like other COVID-19 vaccines.

Fact #4 : DAICHIRONA Is An mRNA Vaccine

The People’s Voice appears to believe that the Daiichi Sankyo DAICHIRONA vaccine for COVID-19 is a “self-amplifying mRNA vaccine”. That cannot be further from the truth.

The Daiichi Sankyo vaccine, which was formerly known as DS-5670 or DS-5670A, is an mRNA vaccine like the Pfizer-BioNTech COMIRNATY and Moderna Spikevax vaccines.

It does not “self-replicate” or “self-amplify” as claimed. It merely delivers the mRNA instructions to the cell, which then produces the spike protein to display on its surface.

The quote about “self-amplifying mRNA” appears to be lifted off an unrelated article (archive) by The Epoch Times on “self-amplifying RNA vaccines” that might be coming in the future.

However, mRNA (messenger RNA) is different from RNA, and The Epoch Times article was referring to the “next-generation of RNA-based” vaccines.

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Facing Life Behind Bars For Child Rape?!

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the new name / brand for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should NEVER share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Do COVID-19 Vaccines Cause Long-Term Heart Damage?!

Did Japanese researchers just discover that COVID-19 vaccines can cause long-term heart damage, even in people with no symptoms?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : COVID-19 Vaccines May Cause Long-Term Heart Damage!

People are sharing an article by the Children’s Health Defense, suggesting that Japanese researchers found evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause long-term heart damage, even in people with no symptoms!

Children’s Health Defense : 🚨 COVID Vaccine May Cause Long-Term Heart Damage, Even in People With No Symptoms

The findings contradict claims by the CDC that people who develop myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccines experience symptoms but “feel better quickly.”

Recommended : mRNA Vaccines Created Spike Protein In Human Heart?!

 

No Evidence COVID-19 Vaccines Cause Long-Term Heart Damage!

Let’s take a look at what the Japanese researchers did, and find out why they did not actually show that COVID-19 vaccines cause long-term heart damage!

Fact #1 : Assessment Done Via Pet/CT Scan

First, let me just point out that the study in question (link) is called “Assessment of Myocardial 18F-FDG Uptake at PET/CT in Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2–vaccinated and Nonvaccinated Patients” by Nakahara et al.

This was not an actual clinical study, but a retroactive study based on the PET/CT scans of about 1,000 people – 303 unvaccinated people and 700 vaccinated people.

Fact #2 : Study Was Paired With Editorial

The Nakahara et al study was published in Radiology Vol. 308, which lends it great credence. However, the journal paired it with an editorial by Dr. David Bluemke – a professor of radiology at the University of Wisconsin, to offer much needed context.

Professor Dr. Bluemke was very critical in his editorial, pointing out many problems with the Nakahara et al study. I will summarise some of his key findings below, but if you have the time, please read his editorial in full.

Fact #3 : Study Did Not Conclude Vaccines Cause Heart Damage

To be clear – the study did not show that vaccinated people actually had heart damage, whether long-term or otherwise. It’s even stated in the study’s conclusion:

When compared with nonvaccinated patients, asymptomatic patients who received their second vaccination 1–180 days prior to imaging showed increased myocardial 18F-FDG uptake on PET/CT scans.

The study authors only stated that those PET/CT scans increased myocardial 18F-FDG uptake. Did they not actually claim that it proves any heart damage, long-term or otherwise.

In fact, they also pointed out that the increased 18F-FDG uptake seen in the PET/CT scans may just show minor inflammation, and “may not represent severe myocardial abnormalities”:

[E]ven though vaccinated patients in this study showed elevated myocardial 18F-FDG uptake on PET/CT scans up to 180 days after vaccination, this could result from relatively minor inflammation and may not represent severe myocardial abnormalities.

Recommended : Did MIT Study Prove Pfizer Vaccine Raised Heart Problems?!

Fact #4 : 18F FDG PET/CT Is Bad At Evaluating Heart Inflammation

Dr. Bluemke pointed out in his editorial that PET/CT scans using the 18F FDG tracer are a bad way to evaluate any inflammation of the heart.

Unfortunately, in routine clinical practice, 18F FDG PET/CT is a terrible tracer with which to evaluate myocardial inflammation. This is because glucose is the normal source of energy for the myocardium—almost all patients have high myocardial uptake.

As he explained, a proper study would require “diet manipulation” and “12 hours of fasting” to accurately perform myocardial imaging for 80% of patients using FDG PET/CT scans.

Typical disease processes of interest (infection or inflammatory disease) also result in high myocardial uptake. Routine PET/CT cannot help to reliably identify higher activity due to inflammation on an already high background of normal myocardium. Special steps need to be taken.

The trick is to combine a low carbohydrate and high fat diet the day before the FDG PET scan with 12 hours of fasting immediately before imaging. The myocardium will then typically convert to lipid metabolism; radiotracer activity on 18F FDG PET scans is low in about 80% of patients. Therefore, after diet manipulation and fasting, the clinician has a reasonable possibility of detecting inflammatory or infiltrative myocardial disease.

Still, that leaves 20% of patients who have not switched off their use of glucose. With fasting alone (no diet changes), the success of myocardial imaging with PET/CT is even worse, with about 30%–50% of individuals having residual myocardial activity on FDG PET/CT scans.

Recommended : Do mRNA Vaccines Increase Heart Disease Risk?!

Fact #5 : The Patients Had Cancer + Other Diseases

I should point out that the study isn’t actually representative of the general population. About half the patients had cancer of some sort:

  • Vaccinated group : 328 of 700 patients had cancer (46.9%)
  • Unvaccinated group : 153 of 300 patients had cancer (50.5%)

On top of that, the other patients had a variety of diseases like – sarcoidosis, thyroid disease, etc. and many underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and other forms of treatment that could account for the results.

Dr. Bluemke also pointed out in his editorial that such a non-representative cohort requires “further analysis”:

The main results are asymptomatic patients vaccinated for COVID-19 before PET had about 40% greater radiotracer activity in the myocardium than unvaccinated individuals. The P value was low, less than .001. This translates to only one time out of 1000 that these results would occur by chance.

These results are compelling, but we should remain suspicious without further analysis. There are simply too many things that can still go wrong with this comparison.

Patients with cancer who get vaccinated tend to be older and perhaps at greater risk for being immunocompromised or needing chemotherapy. We do not know the full characteristics of vaccinated versus unvaccinated patients (including the course and nature of chemotherapy treatments). Prior studies showed that younger male individuals had more reports of vaccine-related myocarditis after their second dose of vaccine.

Standardized uptake values are quantitative and useful, but metabolic derangements might also cause the same differences. In short, other differences besides vaccination could be responsible for differences between the two patient groups.

In short – this study requires more data, and more analysis. One certainly cannot draw any kind of conclusions based on PET/CT scams of just 1,000 people – half of which had cancer!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Malaysia Digital Arrival Card Required For Foreign Visitors!

Foreign visitors are now required to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) prior to arrival in Malaysia! Here is what you need to know…

 

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) Requirement

From 1 December 2023 onwards, the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) requires foreign visitors to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) prior to their arrival in Malaysia.

The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) replaces the physical white arrival card that foreign visitors usually complete before or on arrival in Malaysia.

This new rule applies to all foreign visitors, except:

  • people transiting / transferring through Singapore without seeking immigration clearance,
  • Malaysian Permanent Resident, and
  • Malaysian Automated Clearance System (MACS) holders

As an added benefit, foreign visitors from 10 countries can register their fingerprint at the immigration country, and will thereafter be able to use the Autogate (Egate) at Malaysian airports and other ports of entry to quickly get through immigration!

  • Australia
  • Brunei
  • Germany
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • New Zealand
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Singapore
  • United States
  • United Kingdom

But please note that the MDAC is not a visa. Neither is it an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) that some countries use to pre-register visitors for multiple entries.

Recommended : 2024 Public + School Holidays For Malaysia!

 

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) Steps

For The First Time

All foreign visitors (except those who were explicitly exempted above) will need to register for the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for the first time.

  1. Enrol for the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) at this official link.
  2. Complete and submit the MDAC within three days (3) prior to your arrival in Malaysia.
    You will be required to fill in these information:
    a) Full name
    b) Passport number
    c) Nationality
    d) Sex
    e) Date of Birth
    f) Date of Passport Expiry
    g) Email address
    h) Mobile Number
    i) Date of Arrival : Must be within 3 days (including date of submission)
    j) Date of Departure
    k) Mode of Travel : Air / Land / Sea
    l) Last Port of Embarkation
  3. On arrival in Malaysia, you will need to enroll and verify your passport manually at the Malaysian Immigration Department counter.
  4. After that manual enrolment, you will be allowed to use the Egate autogate system when you depart Malaysia.

On Subsequent Visits

On subsequent visits, foreign visitors will need to:

  1. Complete and submit the MDAC within three days (3) prior to your arrival in Malaysia.
  2. Use the Autogate system on arrival and departure

As you can see, the new Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) does more than just eliminate waste and improve efficiency through digital transformation of the physical arrival card. It also streamlines the immigration process for foreign visitors, and allows some of them to breeze through using the Egate system!

But again – please note that you can only submit the MDAC within 3 days of your trip, and this includes the date of submission.

 

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) : Other Important Things

Here are other things about the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card that may be important:

  1. You can check the status of your MDAC registration information here.
  2. You can check the visit pass record for the latest 3 months here.
  3. You can check your Egate eligibility status here. *

* Please note that Egate eligibility is only open to business and social travellers from these 10 countries, who have an e-Passport, and will only start after you have enrolled your fingerprints (biometric verification) at the immigration counter.

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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China Announces Visa-Free Travel For 6 Countries!

China just announced that citizens from 6 countries will enjoy visa-free travel for 15 days! Here is what you need to know!

 

China : Visa-Free Travel For 6 Countries!

On Friday, 24 November 2023, China announced that citizens from these 6 countries will enjoy visa-free travel for up to 15 days:

  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • The Netherlands
  • Spain
  • Malaysia

These six countries will join Singapore, Japan and Brunei, whose citizens already enjoy visa-free travel to China for up to 15 days.

According to Chinese government spokesperson Mao Ning, China has taken this step to help “promote the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world“.

This visa-free travel for those 6 countries, however, is a trial that will last from 1 December 2023 until 30 November 2024. This trial program may or may not be extended after that.

Recommended : 2024 Public + School Holidays For Malaysia!

Travellers to China are generally required to apply for a visa. China appears to be trying out this visa-free travel option to revive its tourism industry that has been hard-hit by strict COVID-19 measures in the past 3 years.

China had the world’s strictest COVID-19 measures, maintaining them long after the rest of the world reopened. Even when the Chinese government decided to reopen its borders, it required inbound travellers to quarantine, which discouraged travel

It was only in March 2023 that China began issuing all types of travel visas again, and in July that it restored the 15-day visa-free travel for Singapore, Japan and Brunei. In August, China finally scrapped all COVID-19 test requirements for inbound travellers.

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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FDA To Ban BVO – A Stabiliser Used In Soft Drinks!

The US FDA just proposed a ban of BVO – brominated vegetable oil – a potentially toxic stabiliser used in soft drinks!

 

FDA To Ban BVO – A Stabiliser Used In Soft Drinks!

On Thursday, 2 November 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finally moved to revoke its authorisation for BVO – brominated vegetable oil – a stabiliser mostly used in soft drinks.

BVO is a vegetable oil that has been modified by bromine, a pungent and oily chemical, to create an emulsifier that keeps the citrus flavouring in fruit beverages from separating and floating to the top.

BVO has long been banned in Europe and Japan over health safety concerns, but was permitted to be used in the United States, at up to 15 parts per million.

While many beverage makers have already reformulated their drinks to replace BVO with other stabilisers, about 90 food products in the United States – mostly sodas, still use brominated vegetable oil. This was partly due to FDA’s past restrictions, and the ban on BVO in Europe and Japan:

In 1970, the FDA determined BVO was no longer ‘Generally Recognized as Safe’ … and began overseeing its use under our food additive regulations.

Over the years many beverage makers reformulated their products to replace BVO with an alternative ingredient, and today, few beverages in the U.S. contain BVO.

– James Jones, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods

The proposed ban is not yet a certainty. The FDA is opening up the proposed ban for public comments until January 17, 2024. That will be followed by a review process, before a final decision is made.

However, the publicity of this potential ban by the FDA will steer consumers away from soft drinks still containing BVO, and encourage brands to reformulate their products to replace brominated vegetable oil with an alternative stabiliser.

Recommended : Viral Video Proves Japanese Food Is Radioactive?!

 

Why The FDA Is Finally Planning To Ban BVO

The FDA decision came after California banned the BVO in October, with the passing of the California Food Safety Act. But officially – the FDA came to its conclusion based on studies that showed bioaccumulation of bromine, and its toxic effects on the thyroid:

The FDA conducted studies that clearly show adverse health effects in animals in levels more closely approximating real-world exposure. Therefore, the FDA can no longer conclude that this use of BVO in food is safe.

The studies were conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ (NIEHS) Division of Translational Toxicology (formerly the Division of the National Toxicology Program), to assess unresolved toxicological questions. Results from these studies demonstrate bioaccumulation of bromine and toxic effects on the thyroid – a gland that produces hormones that play a key role in regulating blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, metabolism and the reaction of the body to other hormones.

Recommended : Yasuhiro Sonoda Died After Drinking Fukushima Water?!

Those studies were conducted between 2016 and 2022. Initially, they started to more accurately measure the amount of BVO in commercial soft drinks. Then they studied the health effects of BVO in test rats, and the study results showed toxic effects on the thyroid:

Between 2016 and 2020, the FDA published improved methods to more accurately measure the amount of BVO in commercial soft drinks on the market and to measure small amounts of fats in vegetable oil. These research efforts enabled the development and validation of the method used in our later animal studies to detect the level of brominated fats in tissues of animals fed BVO.

On May 16, 2022, the FDA published a study in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology that evaluated potential health effects related to BVO consumption in rodents. The FDA measured the amounts of BVO present in the animal food and brominated fats in tissues from test animals. We also fed test animals amounts of BVO that simulate real-life exposure.

The data from the study suggest that oral exposure to BVO is associated with increased tissue levels of bromine and that at high levels of exposure the thyroid is a target organ of potential negative health effects in rodents. The agency also conducted a study to identify the level of BVO in the body after consumption of BVO.

The FDA concluded that after assessing existing animal and human data, together with the more recent FDA studies, it can no longer conclude that BVO is safe to use in food.

Needless to say – even if the FDA has not yet finalised the ban, we should all avoid any food products that contain BVO, even if they meet current regulations.

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Viral Video Proves Japanese Food Is Radioactive?!

Were Japanese food products proven to be highly radioactive in a viral video?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-27 : Added new version, and other updates
Originally posted @ 2023-07-16

 

Claim : Viral Video Proves Japanese Food Is Highly Radioactive!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp, TikTok and social media platforms, which claims to prove that Japanese food products are highly radioactive!

In the video, a man explains in Cantonese how he tested the radioactivity level of a Japanese food product, and found that it was highly radioactive.

The radiation of Japanese products exceeds the standard. Please note the video instructions above.

日本产品辐射超标。 请注意上面的视频说明

Japanese foodstuffs full of radiation.

Japan has d very toxic nuclear radiation waters to be release or partially released already… be aware…fr d FUKUSHIMA Nuclear plant.

This video is also being promoted by pro-CCP netizens, as well as the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Recommended : Treated Fukushima Water Is Still Highly Radioactive?!

 

Truth : Video Does Not Prove Japanese Food Is Radioactive At All!

This is yet another example of FAKE VIDEOS circulating on WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Viral Video Is Several Months Old

Let me just start by pointing out that the viral video is several months old, coming to our attention in the middle of July 2023. The video was certainly recorded and distributed on WhatsApp, TikTok and other social media platforms in early July, if not earlier.

At that time, Japan had not yet released treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power station into the Pacific Ocean. So it is impossible for the video to show radioactive food caused by the release of Fukushima nuclear plant’s treated water.

The Fukushima Nuclear Power Station (NPS) only started releasing its ALPS-treated and diluted water into the sea on the afternoon of Thursday, 24 August 2023 – about 6 weeks after the video first went viral on WhatsApp and social media platforms.

Recommended : Nuclear Radiation Created These Mutant Creatures?!

Fact #2 : The Viral Messages Are Misleading

The viral English and Chinese messages tied to this video are misleading. The man in the video never once mentioned that this food product was from Fukushima, or mentioned the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

With help from Yuh Hui and Adrian Tung, here is the English translation of what the man actually said in the viral video:

This is a radiation monitoring device.

Now, there is Japanese food that I placed on a bench over there. Now, I will walk towards it, and see how much radiation it has.

As I approach the Japanese food, the radiation reading goes up. Now, I place the device here (on the food). See how the radiation reading is very high. This is food from Japan.

See how the device gives a “beep beep” sound, and the screen turns red. The radiation reading is more than 400.

If you ever go to Japan, try not to eat the food there, or buy any food souvenirs for your relatives and friends. It will be terrible if they get radiation poisoning!

This food was given to me by a friend who bought it from Japan. I’m not going to eat it. I will accept it and will throw it away later.

Recommended : Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food

Fact #3 : That Was An EMF Meter, Not A Geiger Counter

The man claimed in the viral video that he was using a radiation monitoring device. The truth is – he was just the ST1393 EMF Meter, which anyone can buy from Amazon for just $31.39. Here are other purchase options :

The ST1393 EMF meter is designed to detect and measure the electromagnetic radiation produced by magnetic and electric fields. It is not designed to detect nuclear radiation like alpha and beta particles, as well as gamma rays.

To detect ionising radiation from nuclear sources, he needs to use a Geiger counter, not an EMF meter.

As the manufacturer advertises, the ST1393 EMF testers is used to detect “electric field radiation” and “magnetic field emission” from mobile phones, hair dryer, computer, TV, printer, etc. It does NOT detect nuclear radiation!

Recommended : Chinese Nuclear Plants Release More Tritium Than Fukushima?!

Fact #3 : EMF Meter Likely Measured Static Electricity

In the video, the EMF meter was seen registering between 292 V/m and 441 V/m. That was the measurement of a static electric field, not nuclear radiation.

If you look closely, the meter says the unit is V/m (volts per meter), and the type is Electric Field. Nuclear radiation is measured in units like Becquerel (Bq) or Curie (Ci) or Sievert (Sv) or Rem (One Sv = 100 rem).

The EMF meter was very likely measuring the static electricity on the Japanese food product’s plastic polymer packaging. If the man tests other plastic packaging, he would likely register similar levels of static electricity.

In case you are worried about the “high” static electricity produced by Japanese food packaging, here are some common static electricity levels:

  • Natural electric field in atmosphere : 100 V/m
  • Electric field during thunderstorms : Up to several thousand V/m
  • Walking on non-conducting carpets : Up to 500,000 V/m
  • High voltage DC power lines : Up to 20,0000 V/m
  • Inside DC-powered electric trains : Up to 300 V/m

In other words – you do NOT need to worry about a few hundred volts per meter of static electricity!

Recommended : Did Man Using Bluetooth Get Electrocuted Near Train?!

Fact #4 : Induction Cooker Not Source Of Electric Field

Some sharp-eyed folks have pointed out that the man placed the Japanese food item on an induction cooker, and posited that the increase in electric field “radiation” was due to EM radiation from the induction cooker.

I have to point out that while it appears to be an induction cooker, it could potentially be a radiant cooker which come in similar designs, with a black glass top. You can only tell them apart when they are operating – the radiant cooker’s heating element will glow red, while induction cookers won’t.

In any case, an induction cooker works by inducing an electromagnetic field to transfer energy to a magnetic pan / pot. So the EMF meter should have registered a magnetic field as well.

Since the video showed no magnetic field, the induction cooker was not powered and would not have affected the results.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Water Kill Thousands Of Fish In Penang?!

Fact #4 : EM Radiation Is Not Nuclear Radiation

Electromagnetic (EM) radiation is a form of radiation, but it is not the same as nuclear radiation.

EM radiation is wide-ranging, and includes everything from visible light to radio waves, microwaves, infrared to X-rays. It is emitted by everything from the sun to computers and smartphones.

Nuclear radiation, on the other hand, consists mainly of Alpha particles, Beta particles, and Gamma rays, that are produced as a result of a nuclear reaction, or radioactive decay.

It is like comparing bicycles with cars. They are both vehicles (radiation), but a bicycle (electromagnetic radiation) is different from a car (nuclear radiation). Getting hit by a bicycle is also very different than getting hit by a car!

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Treated Fukushima Water Is Still Highly Radioactive?!

Was the 3rd batch of treated Fukushima water just proven to be radioactive with radionuclides including carbon-14, cobalt 60, strontium-90 & others?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Treated Fukushima Water Is Still Radioactive!

Pro-CCP netizens, as well as the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), are sharing this message on WhatsApp and social media platforms:

东京都政府公布的排放前测试结果显示,日本第三批福岛核污染水含有碳14、钴60、锶90等放射性核素。日本电力公司(东京电力公司)。
The 3rd batch of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water schedule to be released during Japan’s 3rd round of ocean discharge is reported to contains radionuclides including carbon-14, cobalt 60, strontium-90 & others, according to pre-discharge test results released by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).

第一轮排放时间为8月24日,第二轮排放时间为10月5日。钴60和锶90将对人类健康和环境产生重大影响。
The 1st round of discharge was on August 24 & 2nd round discharge on October 5. cobalt 60 & strontium-90 will significantly impact human health & the environment.

让我们看看西方主流媒体是否会报道这一事实,或者可能像他们一直在做的那样,以隐藏在某处的小字印刷或根本不报道这一事实。尽管CGTN之前也有不少批评中国问题的报道,但声称CGTN是中共的喉舌是这些西方主流媒体的常见说法。
Let’s see whether the western main stream media will report this fact or maybe report this in small print hidden somewhere or none at all as they had been doing. Claims of CGTN being China Communist Party (CCP) China’s mouthpiece are common narrative by these western main stream media despite many reports from CGTN criticizing China’s problems before.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Water Kill Thousands Of Fish In Penang?!

 

Truth : Treated Fukushima Water Far Below Radioactive Limits

This is yet another example of MISINFORMATION surrounding the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station (NPS), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Only Chinese Media Are Reporting A Problem

One of the first things I did was to look up any problems related to the third batch of waste water released by the Fukushima NPS. Interestingly, this topic appears to have been addressed by three Chinese state media outlets:

  • Xinhua : Multiple radionuclides detected in Fukushima nuke wastewater planned for 3rd round of ocean discharge
  • China Daily : Multiple radionuclides detected in Fukushima nuke wastewater planned for 3rd round of ocean discharge
  • CGTN : TEPCO: Multiple radionuclides detected in Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water in third round of ocean discharge

They all appear to have the same content, because they appear to have been syndicated from Xinhua.

No other news media from any other country in the world – not just from Western countries – have reported any problem with the TEPCO report.

Fact #2 : TEPCO Report Showed No Issues

TEPCO actually has a dedicated portal that publishes testing data and other updates on the ALPS-treated water at the Fukushima NPS.

The 10 July 2023 analysis of ALPS-treated water from the K4-A tank mentioned in the Xinhua, China Daily and CGTN articles, is actually available for the public to read in English.

Anyone who reads through it will quickly realise that the report clearly states that:

  • 39 radionuclides were confirmed not to be significantly present.
  • 29 radionuclides were confirmed to be 74% less than discharge standard.
  • the amount of tritium was 130,000 Bq/L, but dropped to less than 1,500 Bq/L after dilution.

Yes, radionuclides other than tritium were found to be present in the ALPS-treated water. However, they were all found to be insignificant, or far below the discharge standard, and this was before the water was diluted.

In other words – the TEPCO report on the 10 July 2023 analysis showed that it was complying with regulations.

Recommended : Nuclear Radiation Created These Mutant Creatures?!

Fact #3 : Independent Analysis Confirmed TEPCO Report

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency also conducted an independent analysis of the 10 July 2023 ALPS-treated water sample through its Okuma Analysis and Research Center.

Its separate and independent analysis (PDF download) confirmed that:

  • nuclides other than tritium which have been purified to below the regulatory limit by ALPS treatment.
  • the concentrations of 29 nuclides was 26% of regulatory limits
  • the concentrations of 39 nuclides were “not significantly present”
  • tritium level was around 130,000 Bq/L in the undiluted water.

That is likely why no other news media has reported on any problems with this report – because it did not reveal any actual problem with the ALPS-treated water…

Yes, the Fukushima water is still radioactive after being filtered and treated, but the amount of radionuclides are far below regulatory limits.

Fact #4 : Fukushima Will Release Less Tritium Than Chinese Nuclear Plants

Perhaps pro-CCP netizens and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) would do well to understand this English idiom – People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

What Chinese citizens and perhaps, most people around the world, may not realise is that Chinese nuclear power stations routinely discharge many times more tritium than the Fukushima NPS.

In fact, an official Chinese government report actually revealed that the Qinshan nuclear power plant discharged over 14X more tritium than what the Fukushima NPS will discharge.

If the release of tritium and other radionuclides are such a danger, perhaps we should all be demanding that the regulatory standards be TIGHTENED for ALL nuclear power plants across the world.

Recommended : Chinese Nuclear Plants Release More Tritium Than Fukushima?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Japan Confirmed All COVID Variants Were Engineered?!

Did Japan just release evidence that all COVID variants were engineered in biolabs?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Japan Confirmed All COVID Variants Were Engineered!

People are sharing an article by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that Japan just released evidence that all COVID variants were engineered in biolabs!

Here is an excerpt from the article, which is pretty long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Japan Releases Evidence That ALL COVID Variants Were Engineered in Biolabs

An official new study out of Japan has concluded that all Covid variants were engineered in biolabs and intentionally released into the public.

Recommended : COVID-19 Vaccines Estimated To Cause 17 Million Deaths?!

 

Truth : Japan Did Not Confirm COVID Variants Were Engineered!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS about COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Study Does Not Appear To Be Official / Peer-Reviewed

First, let me just direct you to the study – Unnatural evolutionary processes of SARS-CoV-2 variants and possibility of deliberate natural selection, which you can read for yourself here.

This is not an official study conducted by the Japanese government, or its agencies. Neither does this study appear to be published or peer-reviewed by any journal.

This study appears to be only “published” in Zenodo on August 15, 2023. Zenodo is not a journal though, but a general-purpose open repository for research papers, data sets, and other research-related digital files.

Zenodo (https://zenodo.org) is an open repository for all scholarship, enabling researchers from all disciplines to share and preserve their research outputs, regardless of size or format.

While this does not mean that the study is rubbish, it is important for the study to be at least pass the peer-review process, which is itself merely the first step in any scientific research review process.

Fact #2 : Study Only Looked At Omicron Variants

While The People’s Voice article claimed that the study “concluded that all Covid variants were engineered in biolabs“, that is simply not the case. For one thing – the study only looked at Omicron variants.

In this study, we aimed to clarify the evolutionary processes leading to the formation of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants, focusing on Omicron variants with many amino acid mutations in the spike protein among SARS-CoV-2 isolates.

The study authors certainly never concluded that “all Covid variants were engineered in biolabs“.

Recommended : Do mRNA Vaccines Increase Risk Of Death + Injuries?!

Fact #3 : Study Never Said COVID-19 Was Artificially Created

While The People’s Voice article claimed that the study “concluded that all Covid variants were engineered in biolabs“, that is also not the case.

The authors pointed out in their study (PDF download) that they “do not conclude” that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was “artificially synthesized”.

Furthermore, we do not conclude that these viruses were artificially synthesized… 

In addition, the authors went to some length to point out that it is impossible to know if the original SARS-CoV-2 virus was natural or artificial.

It has been claimed that SARS-CoV-2 is artificially generated because of the unnatural presence of a codon (CGG) encoding a contiguous arginine at the furin cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2. This claim is refuted based on the following facts;

Fact #4 : Study Never Said COVID-19 Was Intentionally Released

The People’s Voice article also claimed that the study “concluded that all Covid variants” were “intentionally released into the public“. Again, that is not the case.

The authors pointed out in their study (PDF download) that they “do not conclude” that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was “distributed based on malicious intent”.

… we do not conclude that these viruses were … distributed based on malicious intent.

Recommended : COVID-19 Leaked From Gilead Sciences Lab In Fort Detrick!

Fact #5 : Study Hypothesises Gain-of-Function Creation Of Omicron

The study authors are hypothesising that the Omicron variants may have been artificially synthesised, based on their finding that “most of the mutations” in the S protein of the Omicron variants “are non-synonymous“, which they claim is “highly unnatural“.

The authors suggested that the mutations may have been “artificially generated to identify amino acids of the S protein involved in the infectivity and virulence” of the coronavirus.

While the authors did not explicitly say so, they are suggesting that the Omicron variant may have been introduced as an accidental lab leak of gain-of-function research into SARS-CoV-2.

Fact #6 : Study Called For Further Research

Rather that coming to the conclusion that “all Covid variants were engineered in biolabs and intentionally released into the public” as claimed by The People’s Voice article, the authors pointed out that their study had some weaknesses:

  • their databases had “a limited number of viral sequences”, and
  • their data may be unreliable due to “technical problems in sequencing or some malicious intent”

As such, their paper aims to “point out” that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has undergone “unthinkable mutations under conventional coronavirus mutation mechanisms“, and the authors “hope” that the “possibility of artificial theory” be “included in the discussion“.

In other words – the study authors suggest that more research should be conducted to look at the possibility that these COVID-19 variants were artificially created as part of reverse genetics / Gain-of-Function (GoF) research.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Toxic Fukushima Water Kill Fish + Birds In Kuching?!

Did the toxic Fukushima waste water just kill fish and birds in Kuching, Malaysia?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Toxic Fukushima Water Killed Fish + Birds In Kuching!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp, which claims to show hundreds of fish in Kuching killed by the toxic Fukushima waste water. It’s paired with warnings like this:

How to explain this happen here in Kuching 🫤🤔

Not too long ago, the pigeons at our waterfront drop dead from poisoning ☹️🫤

Recommended : Did Fukushima Water Kill Thousands Of Fish In Penang?!

 

Truth : Fukushima Water Did Not Kill Fish + Birds In Kuching!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS surrounding the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima NPS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral Video Was Recorded In Kuching

The viral video was streamed live by Sarawak Edition at 12:14 PM on Sunday, 17 September 2023.

Sarawak Edition said that it recorded the video at Jalan Rock in Kuching, near the Shell petrol station, and an Indian temple.

I managed to geolocate the exact location the video was recorded (Google Map link) to the monsoon drain next to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple at Jalan Rock, Min Chun Garden, in Kuching, Sarawak.

On the left is the Google Map Street View taken on March 2019, and on the right is a screenshot from the video showing the same electrical pole and high-rise building.

Recommended : Nuclear Radiation Created These Mutant Creatures?!

Fact #2 : It Was A Monsoon Drain

If you look carefully at the video, you can see that it is a monsoon drain, and not a river.

According to the person on the video, the dead fish appears to be tilapia. That’s not surprising – tilapia are hardy freshwater fish that can often be found in these monsoon drains.

I should point out that monsoon drains collect waste water from the surrounding area to be treated or released into the sea. The waste water goes into the sea, not the other way around!

Fact #3 : Fish Are Sometimes Found Dead In Monsoon Drains

Even though tilapia are hardy fish, they can sometimes be found dead in monsoon drains. That can occur if toxic substances are poured into the monsoon drain, or drains that flow in.

In February 2022, for example, tilapia fish were found dead in Kulai, Johor. Similarly, over 1,000 dead fish was found floating in a monsoon drain in Taman Seraya, Ampang in October 2014.

Obviously, all those cases have nothing to do with the release of the Fukushima waste water in Japan on August 24, 2023.

Fact #4 : Fukushima Waste Water Cannot Fly…

Fukushima is over 5,000 kilometres away from Kuching, Sarawak, as the crow flies. It is quite impossible for the waste water released by the nuclear power station there to flow all the way here.

Even if the Fukushima waste water is a homing torpedo designed to attack Kuching, it would have to flow past Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, the Philippines, and Vietnam, to reach Sarawak. There would have been reports of dead fish from those countries, but of course, nothing of that sort happened.

But most importantly, the dead fish is located deep inland – some 20 kilometres away from the nearest seaside.

Even if the Japanese somehow designed the Fukushima waste water to attack Kuching, the waste water cannot fly over land to kill tilapia fish 20 kilometres inland!

Recommended : Chinese Nuclear Plants Release More Tritium Than Fukushima?!

Fact #5 : Pigeons Were Found Dead On 2 August 2023

It is true that 41 pigeons were found mysteriously dead at the Kuching Esplanade. However, that incident occurred on the morning of 2 August 2023.

The Fukushima-Daiichin NPS only started releasing its treated waste water more than 3 weeks later – on Thursday, 24 August 2023. So the dead birds were definitely not killed by the release of the treated radioactive water from Fukushima…

Unless the Japanese invented a time machine to go back in time to kill those birds with the treated waste water? Now that might make for a good movie plot!

Fact #6 : Kuching Pigeons Were Likely Poisoned

The Sarawak Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) director Dr. Adrian Susin Ambud said that the department collected samples, and a preliminary investigation ruled out avian influenza (bird flu) as their cause of death. He believes that the pigeons were most likely poisoned.

The section of the Kuching Waterfront where the dead pigeons were found is known as a place where the public often feeds a large flock of pigeons. In fact, in this photo, you can see some bird food scattered on the roadside.

Recommended : Singapore Just Found NEW Radioactive Food From Japan?!

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | HealthTech ARP

 

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Yasuhiro Sonoda Died After Drinking Fukushima Water?!

Did former Japanese MP Yasuhiro Sonoda die from cancer, after drinking treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power station?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-09-17 : Some minor updates.
Updated @ 2023-09-13 : Added new fact check video, and other minor updates.
Updated @ 2023-09-10 : Updated article with proof Yasuhiro Sonoda is still alive!

Originally posted @ 2023-09-01

 

Claim : Yasuhiro Sonoda Died After Drinking Fukushima Water!

People are sharing videos and photos of Yasuhiro Sonoda drinking ALPS-filtered water from the Fukushima nuclear power station in WhatsApp groups and social media, claiming that the former Japanese MP eventually died from cancer!

How is Yasuhiro Sonoda, a Japanese official who drank nuclear-contaminated water 12 years ago, now? Why did he disappear?

At the end of October 2011, Yasuhiro Sonoda, the then Japanese cabinet minister, poured half a glass of water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in front of media reporters in order to prove that the treated Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water was “drinkable and no problem”. The treated nuclear-contaminated water of Units 5 and 6 was “drinked twice.”

In December 2014, Yasuhiro Sonoda’s social platform stopped updating; in June 2015 , Sonoda Yasuhiro announced his retirement; at the beginning of 2018, Japanese media said that Sonoda Yasuhiro had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma; in August 2020, Sonoda Yasuhiro died of illness in Melekeok, the capital of Palau.

JERRY GOODE : 🚨☢️ 🇯🇵: Japan MP Yasuhiro Sonoda’s hands shook as he downed a glass of Fukushima Nuclear Contaminated Water in front of reporters and cameras.  NOW HE IS MISSING!  What happened to him?💀

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

 

Truth : Yasuhiro Sonoda Did Not Die After Drinking Fukushima Water!

This appears to be another example of FAKE NEWS created and/or shared by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens, to scare people into boycotting Japan and Japanese food, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Yasuhiro Sonoda Drank Fukushima Water In 2011

First, let me just give you a quick overview of Yasuhiro Sonoda and why he became viral in 2023.

Born on June 9, 1967, Yasuhiro Sonoda (園田 康博 / そのだ やすひろ) was elected to the House of Representatives in the Diet (Japanese Parliament) in 2003, as a member of the Democratic Party of Japan.

After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the 44 year-old MP sought to ease concerns over the safety of the treated water. In response to a challenge by freelance journalist Yu Terasawa, he promised to drink the treated waste water.

I don’t want it to be seen as some kind of performance, but if that’s the best way to prove that the water is safe then I would gladly drink it right here, in front of you, any time.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) prepared a bottle of water from Fukushima Daiichi reactors no. 5 and no. 6, which was filtered and treated using its Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove 62 radionuclides from the contaminated water.

Then, at an October 31, 2011 press conference, Yasuhiro Sonoda filled a glass with the ALPS-treated water before polishing it off in two gulps. Even so, he pointed out that the data was more important than the demonstration:

I am aware that just drinking [the treated water] doesn’t in itself mean that safety has been confirmed. The best way to do that is to present data to the public.

Recommended : Fukushima Radioactive Water : What Makes It Different?

Fact #2 : Yasuhiro Sonoda Retired From Politics

The viral messages suggested something nefarious after Yasuhiro Sonoda stopped posting on his Twitter account in 2014. The truth is – he stopped tweeting after he lost elections for the second time.

After that infamous demonstration, Yasuhiro Sonoda lost his seat during the 46th House of Representatives election on December 16, 2012. He subsequently lost again in the 47th House of Representatives election on December 14, 2014.

His last Twitter post was on the night before he lost his election, showing a video of his last campaign speech on December 13.

The Mainichi Shimbun newspaper would later publish a news article (no longer available online) on June 14, 2015, stating that Yasuhiru Sonoda announced his withdrawal from politics.

Fact #3 : Yasuhiro Sonoda Is Still Alive!

After leaving politics in June 2015, Yasuhiro Sonoda receded from the limelight. However, there is no evidence he is dead.

As a former Member of Parliament, his death would have been announced by the Japanese media. Yet, there is no mention of his passing. The viral messages certainly offered no evidence to back up their claims.

But more importantly, Kyodo News reached out to Yasuhiro Sonoda himself via telephone on 2 September 2023, and confirmed that he is still alive! Mr. Sonoda denied that he died from cancer.

Sonoda said, “I would like to once again apologize to those who experienced the earthquake and the people of Fukushima Prefecture,” regarding the spread of false rumors caused by his actions at the time.

園田氏は当時の自身の行動がきっかけでデマが広がったことについて「震災を経験された人や福島県の人にあらためておわびしたい」と語った。

Recommended : FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food Fact Check!

Fact #4 : No Evidence Yasuhiro Sonoda Has Multiple Myeloma

There is also no evidence that Yasuhiro Sonoda was diagnosed with multiple myeloma – a type of white blood cell cancer.

There has been no media report of such a diagnosis. Neither did Yasuhiro Sonoda mention it publicly. In fact, the viral messages also offered no evidence to back up this claim.

Unless Yasuhiro Sonoda or his family publicly reveals that he is suffering from multiple myeloma, or any kind of cancer for the matter, anyone who says that is likely lying to you.

Fact #5 : Yasuhiro Sonoda Was ACD CEO

Yasuhiro Sonoda kept a low profile after leaving politics. However, Taiwanese fact checking website, MyGoPen, discovered that Yasuhiro Sonoda became CEO and the company’s first Representative Director of ACD. Co. Ltd. in March 2018.

ACD Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of the Japanese airlines, ANA (All Nippon Airways), which focuses on the cross-border e-commerce platform called ANA Overseas Shopping. This was confirmed by a June 17, 2019 CoinON interview with Sonoda as ACD CEO.

It is unlikely for him to be appointed both CEO and the first Representative Director of ACD if he was already dying from multiple myeloma in 2018.

Fact #6 : Yasuhiro Sonoda Retired From ACD In 2020

It appears that the claim that Yasuhiro Sonoda went to Palau at the end of 2019 for palliative care is false. He was still CEO of ACD Co., Ltd until his retirement on 14 March 2020.

On 1 November 2020, ACD Co., Ltd. issued a press release announcing that Yasuhiro Sonoda retired as Representative Director and President on 14 March 2020, and was replaced by Hiromichi Furui.

The fact that ACD announced his retirement in November 2020 also suggests that Yasuhiro Sonoda was still alive at that time. The viral message claimed that he died in August 2020.

Recommended : EU + Japan Have Secret Agreement To Re-Export Seafood?!

Fact #7 : Palau Never Announced Yasuhiro Sonoda’s Death

There is no evidence that the Bureau of Health for the Republic of Palau ever announced the 2020 death of Yasuhiro Sonoda from multiple myeloma.

A quick check of the Palau National Government website showed no such announcement about the death of Yasuhiro Sonoda.

The websites promoting this claim did not provide a link to the announcement. Suspicious, isn’t it?

Fact #8 : Ngerulmud Is The Capital Of Palau

I should point out that Melekeok is a state, and not the capital of Palau. The capital of Palau is Ngerulmud. Before 2006, the capital of Palau was Koror City.

Fact #9 : MIT Does Not Have A Hospital / Medical School

MIT – the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is one of the top private universities in the United States, with five schools in Science, Engineering, Architecture and Planning, Management, and Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.

MIT, however, does not have any schools of law or medicine. It also does not run any hospitals. Therefore, it is impossible for Yasuhiro Sonoda to seek medical treatment at the MIT Medical School, or the MIT Hospital as claimed.

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

Fact #10 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | HealthTech ARP

 

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Toxic Fukushima Water Kill Fish In Indonesia?!

Did the toxic Fukushima waste water just kill thousands of fish in Indonesia?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Toxic Fukushima Water Killed Fish In Indonesia!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp, which claims to show thousands of fish in Indonesia killed by the toxic Fukushima waste water. It’s paired with warnings like this:

ALERT: TOXIC SEA WATER HAS ARRIVED AT INDONESIA.

Fishermen are catching more dead fishes than live ones.

Jangan makan ikan dulu. Limbah racun dari jepang sdh masuk ke indonisia.

Don’t eat fish yet. Toxic waste from Japan has entered Indonesia.

日本“毒水” 相信已漂到印尼水界. 食海产可要小心。

Recommended : Did Fukushima Water Kill Thousands Of Fish In Penang?!

 

Truth : Fukushima Water Did Not Kill Fish In Indonesia!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS surrounding the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima NPS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Happened In Tuban, East Java

The viral video appears to be recorded on Tuesday, 12 September 2023, at the beach in front of Hotel Purnama, along the Tuban-Semarang road in Tuban, East Java, Indonesia.

Fact #2 : Fish Were Caught, Not Found Dead

The fish seen in the video were not found dead on the beach, or in the sea. Rather, they were caught by fishermen in the area.

In fact, you can see one of the fishing boats at about 0:26 in the video. The fisherman was merely dropping off his catch at the beach, to be collected by the white Bintang Novelita pickup truck seen at 0:13 in the video.

Fact #3 : Only One Type of Fish Was Caught

If you look carefully at the video, you will notice that it only shows one species of fish. Known locally as Jamal Roti or Manyung, it is a marine catfish from the Ariidae family.

This is actually the spawning season for this catfish, which not only causes them to gather, they also rise to the surface, making it easy for fishermen to catch them.

The fishermen caught about 2 tons of this catfish that day. A week earlier, they caught one ton of the same fish.

If there was any contamination killing fishes in the area, there would be an assortment of different fish species, not just one particular fish species.

Recommended : Did Yasuhiro Sonoda Die After Drinking Fukushima Water?!

Fact #4 : Jenu Police Refuted Viral Claim

On Wednesday, 13 September 2023, Jenu Police Chief Rialto confirmed that the large number of fish were not stranded on the beach, but caught by local fishermen.

Fact #5 : Tuban Fisheries Service Refuted Viral Claim

On Wednesday, 13 September 2023, the head of the Tuban Regency Livestock, Fisheries and Food Security Service, Eko Arif Yulianto confirmed that the Manyung catfish were spawning at that time. He appealed to the public to stop believing in unverified information.

Fact #6 : Tuban DKP2P Fisheries Refuted Viral Claim

On Thursday, 14 September 2023, the head of the Tuban DKP2P Fisheries Division, Lingo Indarto, publicly refuted the claim that the fish were killed from the Fukushima waste water.

The fishermen in the video, was identified as called Sutrisno from Karangsari. He said that the fish were all caught at sea, and were healthy and fresh.

Mr. Linggo called for netizens to stop believing in unverified rumours, as they can cause great losses to the fishermen. He is also coordinating with the East Java Province Maritime and Fisheries Service to fight this fake news.

Fact #7 : No Dead Fishes Were Reported En-Route

For the Fukushima waste water to reach Tuban, it would need to travel some 7,000 kilometres past southern Japan, the Philippines, the islands of Borneo and Sulawesi, Bali and Surabaya.

Yet no dead fish were reported elsewhere. How is that possible if the Fukushima waste water is so toxic? Did the evil Japanese design the waste water to only kill fish in Tuban?

Recommended : Did Yasuhiro Sonoda Die After Drinking Fukushima Water?!

Fact #8 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Japan MP Sonoda Still Alive After Drinking Fukushima Water!

Former Japanese MP Yasuhiro Sonoda did not die from cancer, and is still alive, after drinking ALPS-filtered water from the Fukushima nuclear power station!

 

Claim : Japan MP Sonoda Died After Drinking Fukushima Water!

People are sharing videos and photos of Yasuhiro Sonoda drinking the treated Fukushima waste water in WhatsApp groups and social media, claiming that the former Japanese MP eventually died from cancer!

How is Yasuhiro Sonoda, a Japanese official who drank nuclear-contaminated water 12 years ago, now? Why did he disappear?

At the end of October 2011, Yasuhiro Sonoda, the then Japanese cabinet minister, poured half a glass of water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in front of media reporters in order to prove that the treated Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water was “drinkable and no problem”. The treated nuclear-contaminated water of Units 5 and 6 was “drinked twice.”

In December 2014, Yasuhiro Sonoda’s social platform stopped updating; in June 2015 , Sonoda Yasuhiro announced his retirement; at the beginning of 2018, Japanese media said that Sonoda Yasuhiro had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma; in August 2020, Sonoda Yasuhiro died of illness in Melekeok, the capital of Palau.

JERRY GOODE : 🚨☢️ 🇯🇵: Japan MP Yasuhiro Sonoda’s hands shook as he downed a glass of Fukushima Nuclear Contaminated Water in front of reporters and cameras.  NOW HE IS MISSING!  What happened to him?💀

Finally solved the case, Yasuhiro Sonoda is dead, died of multiple myeloma in 2020.

In June 2015, Yasuhiro Sonoda announced his retirement.
Early 2018. Due to physical discomfort, got checked up in Japan, and diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
At the end of 2018, he received treatment at MIT Medical School in the United States, but failed.
At the end of 2019, he went to Palau to recuperate (waiting to die).
In August 2020, he died in Melekeok, the capital of Palau, due to multiple myeloma and his whole body decomposed.

[/su_expand]

INF.News : …many years later, the Health Bureau of the Republic of Palau announced a regrettable news: Yasuhiro Sonoda passed away in Palau in 2020 due to his body gradually decomposing due to multiple myeloma.

Why did the Republic of Palau choose to announce such news at such a critical time when Japan discharged nuclear wastewater into the sea? The answer is actually quite simple: Protest.

The Republic of Palau chose to announce the death of Yasuhiro Sonoda at this critical moment, not only to express their dissatisfaction with the Japanese government, but also to alert the global community to the risks associated with nuclear energy.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

 

Truth : Japan MP Sonoda Did Not Die After Drinking Fukushima Water!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and/or shared by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens, to scare people into boycotting Japan and Japanese food, and here are the reasons why…

Born on June 9, 1967, Yasuhiro Sonoda (園田 康博 / そのだ やすひろ) was elected to the House of Representatives in the Diet (Japanese Parliament) in 2003, as a member of the Democratic Party of Japan.

After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the 44 year-old MP sought to ease concerns over the safety of the treated water. In response to a challenge by freelance journalist Yu Terasawa, he promised to drink the treated waste water.

I don’t want it to be seen as some kind of performance, but if that’s the best way to prove that the water is safe then I would gladly drink it right here, in front of you, any time.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) prepared a bottle of water from Fukushima Daiichi reactors no. 5 and no. 6, which was filtered and treated using its Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove 62 radionuclides from the contaminated water.

Then, at an October 31, 2011 press conference, Yasuhiro Sonoda filled a glass with the ALPS-treated water before polishing it off in two gulps.

Recommended : Fukushima Radioactive Water : What Makes It Different?

The viral messages suggested something nefarious after Yasuhiro Sonoda stopped posting on his Twitter account in 2014. The truth is – he stopped tweeting after he lost elections for the second time.

After that infamous demonstration, Yasuhiro Sonoda lost his seat during the 46th House of Representatives election on December 16, 2012. He subsequently lost again in the 47th House of Representatives election on December 14, 2014.

His last Twitter post was on the night before he lost his election, showing a video of his last campaign speech on December 13. The Mainichi Shimbun newspaper would later publish a news article (no longer available online) on June 14, 2015, stating that Yasuhiru Sonoda announced his withdrawal from politics.

After leaving politics in June 2015, Yasuhiro Sonoda receded from the limelight. However, there is no evidence he is dead. As a former Member of Parliament, his death would have been announced by the Japanese media. Yet, there is no mention of his passing. The viral messages certainly offered no evidence to back up their claims.

In fact, Yasuhiro Sonoda became CEO and the company’s first Representative Director of ACD. Co. Ltd. – a subsidiary of the Japanese airlines, ANA (All Nippon Airways), in March 2018. It is unlikely for him to be appointed both CEO and the first Representative Director of ACD if he was already dying from multiple myeloma in 2018.

Yasuhiro Sonoda remained CEO of ACD Co., Ltd until his retirement on 14 March 2020. On 1 November 2020, ACD Co., Ltd. issued a press release announcing that Yasuhiro Sonoda retired as Representative Director and President on 14 March 2020, and was replaced by Hiromichi Furui.

The fact that ACD announced his retirement in November 2020 also suggests that Yasuhiro Sonoda was still alive at that time. The viral message claimed that he died in August 2020.

Recommended : EU + Japan Have Secret Agreement To Re-Export Seafood?!

But more importantly, Kyodo News reached out to Yasuhiro Sonoda himself via telephone on 2 September 2023, and confirmed that he was still alive! Mr. Sonoda denied that he died from cancer.

Sonoda said, “I would like to once again apologize to those who experienced the earthquake and the people of Fukushima Prefecture,” regarding the spread of false rumors caused by his actions at the time.

園田氏は当時の自身の行動がきっかけでデマが広がったことについて「震災を経験された人や福島県の人にあらためておわびしたい」と語った。

I should also point out that many claims in the viral messages are easily proven false:

  • A quick check of the Palau National Government website showed no such announcement about the death of Yasuhiro Sonoda.
  • Melekeok is a state, and not the capital of Palau. The capital of Palau is Ngerulmud. Before 2006, the capital of Palau was Koror City.
  • MIT – the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, does not have any schools of law or medicine. It also does not run any hospitals. Therefore, it is impossible for Yasuhiro Sonoda to seek medical treatment at the MIT Medical School, or the MIT Hospital as claimed.

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Fukushima Water Kill Thousands Of Fish In Penang?!

Did the radioactive Fukushima waste water just kill thousands of fish in Penang?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Fukushima Water Killed Thousands Of Fish In Penang!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp, which claims to show that thousands of fish floating on the water, after being killed by the radioactive Fukushima waste water!

Nuclear sudah sampai pantai Penang… Mati penang

Nuclear [contamination/radiation] has arrived at Penang beaches. Penang is dead.

If it is true, horrible japanese

The Japanese is helping America to depopulate the world

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

 

Truth : Fukushima Water Did Not Kill Thousands Of Fish In Penang!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS surrounding the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima NPS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Happened On 26 August 2023

The viral video appears to be recorded on Saturday, 26 August 2023, when thousands of fish were found dead along the shores of Teluk Bahang in Penang.

Fact #2 : Fukushima Only Started Releasing Waste Water On 24 August

The Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power station only started releasing its treated waste water on Thursday, 24 August 2023.

As the crow flies, Penang is over 5,400 kilometres away from Fukushima. Even if the radioactive waste water is a missile, it would need to fly non-stop at over 110 km/h to reach Penang in time to kill the fish two days later. And this is only possible if the Fukushima waste water can actually FLY OVER Pattani in Thailand and Kedah to reach Penang!

If the evil Japanese people fired the Fukushima waste water like a homing torpedo at Penang, it would need to travel some 7,000 km to reach Teluk Bahang. That radioactive torpedo will need to “swim” non-stop at 145 km/h or 78 knots to kill fish in Penang two days later.

Fact #3 : No Dead Fishes Were Reported En-Route

For the Fukushima waste water to reach Penang, it would need to travel past southern Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, southern China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Sabah and Sarawak, before going around Singapore, and past Johor, Melaka, Selangor and Perak.

Yet no dead fish were reported elsewhere. How is that possible if the Fukushima waste water is so toxic? Did the evil Japanese design the waste water to only kill fish in Penang?

Recommended : Did Yasuhiro Sonoda Die After Drinking Fukushima Water?!

Fact #3 : Fish Were Killed By Red Tide Bloom

On the day the fishes were found dead in Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS) deputy director Dr. Annette Jaya Ram spotted pink tide in Teluk Bahang.

CEMACS later confirmed that the thousands of fish found dead were likely killed by the red tide bloom. CEMACS director Professor Datuk Dr. Aileen Tan said on Wednesday, 30 August 2023, that several fish that they retrieved were found to be in a state of asphyxiation with their mouths wide open.

We found them deprived of oxygen, resulting in unconsciousness or death due to suffocation.

She also said that while the algae is not known to have any direct toxicity or toxic effects, it was possible that the fish died due to high levels of discharge by the plankton.

It is more intense this time compared to April because it happened during neap tide (compared to spring tide in April). The blooms were not drifted or carried away by the tides or waves this time.

Fact #4 : DOE Confirmed Fish Were Killed By Algal Bloom

The Department of Environment (DOE) issued a statement on Wednesday, 30 August 2023, confirming that the thousands of fish found dead were killed when the algal bloom deprived them of oxygen.

Several samples were taken and initial analysis found that the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water was at 1.59mg/L to 2.09mg/L for depths between 1m (and) 4m.

Investigations found that it does not fulfil Class 2 of Marine Water Quality Standard to support aquatic life.

DOE Director General Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said that observations from two monitoring stations at Teluk Bahang suggested that the algal bloom was not caused by pollution.

Recommended : Singapore Just Found NEW Radioactive Food From Japan?!

Fact #5 : Algal Bloom Species Was Identified

On Wednesday, 30 August 2023, the Penang Fisheries Department identified the algal bloom as caused by Noctiluca scintillans, a species of marine dinoflagellates that is also known as sea sparkle.

Preliminary results of the analysis carried out by the Batu Maung Fisheries Research Institute found that the algae is non-toxic. It is from the Noctiluca scintillans species and is not dangerous to humans.

The department also pointed out that the very high density of algal in the water can cause fish to die, due to a decrease in dissolved oxygen.

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Go Back To > Fact Check | TravelTech ARP

 

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Nuclear Radiation Created These Mutant Creatures?!

Does a viral video show terrifying mutant creatures created by radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Nuclear Radiation Created These Mutant Creatures!

People are sharing a video on TikTok and WhatsApp, which claims to show that mutant creatures created by radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, as a warning of what the release of treated Fukushima waste water will create!

On TikTok : How frightening are the mutations caused by nuclear contamination #tiktokusa #usa #science #foryou #horror #contamination

Here is a transcript of the video:

This is a dog that has been contaminated by nuclear radiation. Pay attention. It has only one eye positioned right in the center displaying an extremely eerie mutation that gives it a profoundly unsettling appearance.

What’s even more chilling is the discovery of a group of creatures under the bridge. They hang themselves beneath the structure featuring eerie teeth in their central sections. To this day, the exact species remains undetermined. However, the extraction of their blood confirms that they have been subjected to nuclear contamination.

All of this took place in 1986, the third year after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Radioactive substances contaminated the entire sky resulting in widespread nuclear pollution across the region. By the third year of the nuclear contamination, the local wildlife had undergone severe mutations.

Three years later, scientists returned to the area and one creature without a head caught their attention. Its appearance resembled that of a headless deer with the head seemingly missing.

Now the mass before their eyes coiled into a slow undulating motion has puzzled scientists. Some speculate that they are mutated forms of animals while others suggest they might be plants affected by nuclear contamination. However, it’s certain that there is a faint consciousness within them.

What can be confirmed is that they’ve endured nuclear contamination. What exactly these entities are might not matter. But it’s likely that in the not so distant future, with Japan’s release of nuclear contaminated water, more similar organisms could come into our view.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

 

Truth : Nuclear Radiation Did Not Create These Mutant Creatures!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS surrounding the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima NPS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : That Was A Baby Goat, Not A Dog

The dog with one eye isn’t even a dog. It was a baby goat that was born with one eye. The kid – that’s what a baby goat is called – was born on May 10, 2017, in the Indian state of Assam.

While the condition is rare, it is not unheard of. In fact, the condition is known as cyclopia, and occurs in the womb when the developing brain fails to separate into two hemispheres. As a result, the skull only forms a single eye socket.

Most animals born with cyclopia do not survive long after birth. A similar case in the past only survived for 10 hours. This cyclops goat, however, has survived longer than expected.

Needless to say, the cyclops goat has nothing to do with Chernobyl, and was not born this way because of radioactive contamination.

Fact #2 : Those Are Rabbit-Ear Barnacles

The alien-like creatures hanging under the bridge isn’t actually unknown mutants created by nuclear contamination.

They are just rabbit-ear barnacles (Conchoderma auritum), which are found all over the world. These barnacles look like that all the time, and were not created by nuclear radiation.

Recommended : Did Yasuhiro Sonoda Die After Drinking Fukushima Water?!

Fact #3 : Headless Moose / Deer Has A Head!

I cannot trace the source of the headless moose / deer video (yet), but I managed to get a higher resolution video that runs longer.

If you look closely at the video, you can see that its ears. The headless moose / deer actually has a head. It is simply looking away from the camera, which makes it appear like it is headless.

Perhaps the moose or deer was looking for a potential predator in that direction. Needless to say – a headless moose or deer was never found at Chernobyl, or anywhere else in the world.

Fact #4 : That Was A Horsehair Worm!

The mysterious tangle is not a mutant creature or plant that was created by nuclear contamination.

It has been identified by multiple experts, including University of New Mexico parasitologist Ben Hanelt, as a horsehair worm – a nematode-like parasite from the phylum Nematomorpha.

Also known as Gordian worms, these parasites pose no danger to humans, as they target insects like crickets, grasshoppers, and cockroaches.

The viral video was recorded by Huang Meilan in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on 29 August 2017. It shows a single horsehair worm which appears to be tangled in plastic mesh or plant material.

Needless to say, it has nothing to do with Chernobyl or nuclear contamination.

Recommended : Singapore Just Found NEW Radioactive Food From Japan?!

Fact #5 : Chernobyl Is Not Comparable To Fukushima

Now, I should also point out that the Chernobyl nuclear disaster is not comparable at all to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. You can read a detailed study about this, but here is a quick summary:

  • Chernobyl dispersed 10X more radioactive elements (radionuclides) than Fukushima.
  • Even then, over 80% of released radionuclides in Fukushima were blown offshore into the Pacific Ocean.
  • Environmental impact of Chernobyl is much greater than that of Fukushima.
  • Highly contaminated area around Fukushima is much smaller than Chernobyl.
  • In contrast with Chernobyl, no one died from acute radiation in Fukushima.

A 2011 study confirmed that animals living near Chernobyl have 20X more genetic mutations than normal. However, these mutations are not turning those animals into completely new species.

If such long-term exposure to nuclear radiation have not made those animals glow in the dark, or give them extra limbs, or change them into new species, it is unlikely that the far less impactful Fukushima nuclear disaster will create any new animal species.

Fact #6 : Fukushima Waste Water Is Filtered + Treated Before Release

Japan isn’t going to just release the radioactive water into the ocean. The Fukushima waste water is being filtered using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove most of its radioactivity.

The ALPS uses a series of chemical reactions to remove 62 radionuclides from the contaminated water, leaving only tritium and carbon-14. Tritium and carbon-14 are radioactive forms of hydrogen and carbon, which makes them difficult to separate from water.

The treated waste water is then diluted with seawater to reduce the concentration of tritium and carbon-14 before it is released into the ocean. The final level of tritium is estimated at 1,500 becquerels per litre, which is lower than what is required by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for release, and even lower than the WHO limit for drinking water.

I should also point out that the level of tritium in the treated waste water is many times LOWER than the waste water released in other nuclear power plants, including the Qinshan NPP in China.

Recommended : Chinese Nuclear Plants Release More Tritium Than Fukushima?!

Fact #7 : Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Happened In 1986

The fake video claimed that these mutant creatures were seen in 1986 – 3 years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. That would not be possible as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster happened in April 1986.

Fact #8 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Go Back To > Fact Check | TravelTech ARP

 

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Are Japanese Airports Empty After Chinese Boycott?!

Are Japanese airports now empty after Chinese tourists boycotted Japan over the release of the radioactive Fukushima waste water?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Japanese Airports Now Empty After Chinese Boycott!

People are sharing a TikTok video which claims that Japanese airports are now empty after Chinese tourists boycott Japan over the release of the radioactive Fukushima waste water!

Chinese tourists start boycotting Japan and Japanese international airport is so empty. 80% tax free stores are shutting down and hundreds employees are losing jobs. Also planned flights are cancelled because of not enough travellers to make airplane take off.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

 

Japanese Airports Are Not Empty + There’s No Chinese Boycott!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS surrounding the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima NPS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Evidence Japanese Airports Are Empty

First, let me just point out that the viral video does not actually show any evidence that Japanese airports are now empty because Chinese tourists boycotted Japan over the release of the Fukushima treated waste water.

There are many videos showing empty Japanese airports like Narita and Haneda during the COVID-19 pandemic. The viral TikTok video could easily be a mishmash of those videos.

Unfortunately, the TikTok video creator covered up the video with text too much for me to trace the original videos. But it looks like a compilation of different videos.

Fact #2 : Chinese Account For 10% Of Travellers To Japan

Even if there is an unofficial Chinese travel boycott to Japan, it wouldn’t make Japanese airports empty, or force shops to close.

According to JTB Tourism Research & Consulting Co., Chinese citizens account for 10% of international tourists to Japan in June 2023.

While that makes Chinese tourists the second largest group of foreign tourists to Japan, a complete boycott wouldn’t make Japanese airports look like a ghost town, or force their shops to close down.

Fact #3 : At Least Part Of Video Was Recorded On 12 October

Although the TikTok video creator tried to mask any identifiable features in the video, he/she let something slip.

If you look closely at the date on the flight information display that showed flight cancellations, the date was 12 October.

The year is not listed, but it is only 6 September 2023 today, and the Fukushima-Daiichi NPS only started to release its waste water on 24 August 2023.

Unless the TikTok video creator has a time machine, he/she used at least one video recorded on 12 October from past years. It may not even be as recent as the COVID-19 pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.

For example, many airlines cancelled flights in or out of Japan from 11-13 October 2019, when Super Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan.

Recommended : Did Yasuhiro Sonoda Die After Drinking Fukushima Water?!

Fact #4 : Subtitles Suggest Video Was Before Japan Reopened Borders

On the other hand, the final three Chinese subtitles in the video suggest that the video was recorded before Japan reopened its borders on 11 October 2022.

Japan is not opening up the country
Estimate Japan’s tourism industry
And the aviation industry is really going to die.

日本在不开国
估计日本的旅游业
和航空业真的要完蛋

Fact #5 : No Evidence Of Chinese Travel Boycott

In any case, there is no evidence of any Chinese travel boycott, whether official or unofficial. Many airlines are still flying people from China to Japan.

I checked to see how many flights there are from Chinese cities to a single airport from 11 September to 17 September 2023.

Instead of seeing a dearth of flights since there is a Chinese boycott, I counted no less than 158 flights from Chinese cities to Narita International Airport over 1 week!

That’s an average of 22.5 flights per day from China to Narita International Airport. And that’s just one airport in Japan. What boycott???

Recommended : EU + Japan Have Secret Agreement To Re-Export Seafood?!

Fact #6 : Many Narita Airport Shops Do Not Open 24/7

The viral TikTok video appears to show that the Dior and LEGO stores are shuttered and closed at the Narita International Airport. But did they really close down as the video claims?

The truth is – not all shops inside the Narita or Haneda airports open 24/7. Dior at Narita Airport, for example, opens from 7:30 AM until 9 PM daily. The LEGO Store at Narita Airport only opens from from 9 AM until 7 PM.

If you land late at night, you will be able to record a similar video showing both shops closed. Does that mean that they shut down because of a Chinese boycott? Obviously, not.

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | TravelTech ARP

 

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Chinese Nuclear Plants Release More Tritium Than Fukushima?!

Do Chinese nuclear power stations really release 10X more tritium than the Fukushima-Daiichi NPS?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Chinese Nuclear Plants Release 10X More Tritium Than Fukushima!

People are sharing articles claiming that Chinese nuclear power stations actually release 10X more tritium than the Fukushima-Daiichi NPS! Here are some excerpts:

The Japan Times : Tritium in Chinese nuclear wastewater above Fukushima levels

The amount of radioactive tritium in wastewater from Chinese nuclear plants, recorded at 13 of the nation’s monitoring points in 2021, surpassed the maximum allowable annual amount of the material contained in treated water set to be released from the Fukushima No. 1 plant, according to public data.

In addition, this infographic has gone viral on social media, showing how four Chinese nuclear power stations are discharging 4X to 6.5X more tritium than the Fukushima NPS.

Recommended : Singapore Refutes WSJ Radioactive Japan Food Podcast!

 

Truth : Chinese Nuclear Plants Release MORE Tritium Than Fukushima!

This is a rare example of viral TRUE NEWS about the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima NPS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Articles Are By Mainstream Media

First, let me just point out that many of those articles being shared are by Japanese mainstream media outlets.

While the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens are promoting the perception that these Japanese media outlets are biased, they provided zero evidence to back up those claims.

Unlike your typical Twitter troll, or conspiracy websites; these are major media outlets that can be easily sued by the Chinese government if they posted misinformation. Yet, the Chinese government has done nothing. Why is that?

Fact #2 : Japan Previously Published Similar Data In March 2022

Interestingly, this data isn’t even new. The Japanese government, for example, published a summary of the annual tritium discharge of several nuclear power stations around the world on 31 March 2022.

In its summary, the Japanese government maintained that the target tritium level of the treated waste water to be discharged at Fukushima would not exceed 22 trillion Becquerels per year.

This level would be higher than what the Brunswick NPS in North Carolina, the United States, but lower than many other nuclear power stations in France, China, South Korea, and Canada.

In fact, Fukushima would release 10X less tritium than the Darlington NPS in Canada, and 1/500th of the tritium released annually by the La Hague reprocessing plant in France.

Recommended : Did Yasuhiro Sonoda Die After Drinking Fukushima Water?!

Fact #3 : Latest Data Was From China Nuclear Energy Yearbook 2022

The news report did not mention where the data came from, but after much digging, I found an 18 August 2023 IAEA circular (PDF download), which revealed the source:

[N]umerous operating nuclear facilities around the world, including nuclear reactors in the People’s Republic of China, discharge more tritium on an annual basis than the tritium contained in ALPS treated water from FDNPS.

For instance, the amount of tritium to be released annually from FDNPS is approximately 1/10 (one-tenth) of the amount of tritium released from Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in the People’s Republic of China.

The source of that information…. <drumroll please…> was the China Nuclear Energy Yearbook 2022.

Fact #4 : Data Is Backed By Official Chinese Report

Unfortunately, the China Nuclear Energy Yearbook 2022 does not appear to be available online. However, I was able to locate an official Chinese government report for the IAEA that was published in July 2017.

The report, titled The People’s Republic of China Fourth National Report for the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, can be downloaded here – PDF download.

The official Chinese report clearly shows that the Qinshan nuclear power plant discharged an average of 319 trillion Becquerels per year into the Hangzhou Bay.

That is about 14.5X higher than the amount of tritium the Japanese government is limiting for the discharge of treated waste water at Fukushima.

Qinshan NPP Tritium
Discharge Limit
Tritium
Discharge *
2014 87.988 % 307.958 trillion Bq
2015 96.847 % 338.9645 trillion Bq
2016 88.589 % 310.0615 trillion Bq

* Calculated from the discharge in %, based on the annual tritium discharge limit of 3.5E+14 for heavy water reactors in China.

Recommended : EU + Japan Have Secret Agreement To Re-Export Seafood?!

Fact #5 : Data Backed By Chinese Study

I was also able to locate a 2019 study (PDF download) conducted by Chinese scientists called “Analysis on the emission of tritium from Qinshan nuclear power base of china in recent ten years“.

Interestingly, this study showed ten years of data that showed how much the Qinshan power station was releasing, not only into the Hangzhou Bay water, but also into the air!

Qinshan NPP Tritium In
Gaseous
Effluents
(trillion Bq)
Tritium In
Liquid
Effluents
(trillion Bq)
Total Tritium
Effluents
(trillion Bq)
2007 46.0629 84.220 130.2829
2008 56.564 93.381 149.945
2009 35.835 74.210 110.045
2010 40.387 76.010 116.397
2011 41.245 87.790 129.035
2012 39.636 87.690 127.326
2013 57.196 114.990 172.186
2014 84.799 137.560 222.359
2015 74.300 147.650 221.95
2016 117.900 179.200 297.100

Regardless of the source – official Chinese IAEA report, or the Chinese study, it is obvious that the Qinshan nuclear power plant releases many times more tritium into the sea and the air, than what Fukushima will release into the sea.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Singapore Just Found NEW Radioactive Food From Japan?!

Did Singapore just detect more radioactive food from Japan, after the release of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power station?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-09-04 : Added Singapore Food Agency’s announcement
Originally posted @ 2023-09-03

 

Claim : Singapore Found NEW Radioactive Food From Japan!

This message is being actively promoted by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens on WhatsApp and social media:

Singapore said it found radioactive contamination in four samples of vegetables imported from Japan and has extended the ban to food from two more Japanese prefectures.

Singapore’s Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority said radioactive contamination was found in Mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley), Nanohana (rapeseed plant), Mizuna (Japanese mustard) and perilla leaf samples.”

More Countries Ban Import of Japanese Food – With more countries detecting radioactive contamination in food imported from Japan, efforts to prevent it spreading through the global food chain have gained a new urgency (Wall Street Journal, 8/24/2023)

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

 

Truth : Singapore Did Not Find NEW Radioactive Food From Japan!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created or promoted by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : WSJ Podcast Is Genuine But Outdated

First, let me just confirm that the Wall Street Journal podcast and transcript is genuine, and was posted on 24 August 2023, at 6:42 PM (local time).

However, that was just an audio clip and transcript of an old WSJ article (now removed) that was originally posted on 25 March 2011 – more than 12 years ago!

Fact #2 : Podcast Was Released Same Day As Wastewater Release

It is unknown why the Wall Street Journal chose to publish this podcast and transcript from their old 2011 story, but it was released on the same day the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station started releasing its treated wastewater.

If there was any detection of radioactive food from Japan, it would have happened at least a day or two earlier, and would not have anything to do with the release of the treated wastewater from the Fukushima NPS.

Recommended : Fukushima Waste Water Release : Should You Worry?!

Fact #3 : Singapore Food Agency Refuted WSJ Podcast!

On 3 September 2023, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issued a public announcement (PDF download) to refute the Wall Street Journal podcast which claimed that it found new samples of radioactive vegetables fin Japan.

SFA stated that it had not found any new contaminated vegetables from Japan. Neither did the SGA ban any food products from any Japanese prefectures recently.

The SFA also stated that it monitors all food imports, and will take action if any food imports were found to be unsafe or unsuitable for consumption.

Clarification on circulating article/podcast regarding import of Japanese food products

In response to media queries regarding a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article/podcast titled “More Countries Ban Import of Japanese Food”, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has clarified that it has not found samples of contaminated vegetables from Japan or banned food products from any Japanese prefectures recently. The WSJ podcast has referred to a media release by the former Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) in 2011. This has since been overtaken by events.

We wish to reiterate that SFA adopts a science-based approach towards assessing food safety risks. Food imported into Singapore is subjected to SFA’s surveillance and monitoring regime, which includes radiation surveillance and enforcement actions will be taken should any food imports be found to be unsafe or unsuitable for consumption.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

Fact #4 : Singapore AVA Announcement Was From 2011

The announcement by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore was not posted in August 2023, but over 12 years ago – on 24 March 2011 (PDF download).

DETECTION OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS IN FOUR SAMPLES OF VEGETABLES FROM JAPAN – AVA SUSPENDS IMPORT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FROM ADDITIONAL TWO PREFECTURES

Radioactive contaminants have been detected in four samples of vegetables from Japan. The contaminated samples were imported from the affected prefectures of Tochigi and Ibaraki, as well as Chiba and Ehime which are outside the affected areas. The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) will extend its suspension on the import of all fruits and vegetables to include Chiba and Ehime with immediate effect.

Issued by Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority On 24 Mar 2011

Fact #5 : Singapore Did Not Ban Japanese Food Imports

Despite the release of the Fukushima waste water, Singapore has not initiated any new import ban of food from Japan.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) stated that there will be “no immediate ban on seafood from Japan” following the release of the treated Fukushima wastewater.

Recommended : Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food!

Fact #6 : Singapore Has Not Detected Radioactive Food From Japan

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) stated that its surveillance of the safety of food from Japan has been satisfactory. It has not detected any radioactive contaminant in food imports from Japan since 2013.

In fact, Singapore lifted pre-export tests and Certificate of Origin requirements on approved food imports from the Fukushima prefecture on May 28, 2021.

Even so, the SFA continues to closely monitor food imports from Japan to ensure that they comply with Singapore’s food safety requirements.

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Singapore Refutes WSJ Radioactive Japan Food Podcast!

The Singapore Food Agency just refuted a podcast by the Wall Street Journal that it found new radioactive food samples, and extended its ban on food imports from Japan!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Singapore Found New Radioactive Food From Japan!

This message (with a link to the WSJ podcast) went viral on WhatsApp and social media:

Singapore said it found radioactive contamination in four samples of vegetables imported from Japan and has extended the ban to food from two more Japanese prefectures.

Singapore’s Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority said radioactive contamination was found in Mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley), Nanohana (rapeseed plant), Mizuna (Japanese mustard) and perilla leaf samples.”

More Countries Ban Import of Japanese Food – With more countries detecting radioactive contamination in food imported from Japan, efforts to prevent it spreading through the global food chain have gained a new urgency (Wall Street Journal, 8/24/2023)

Recommended : Singapore Just Found More Radioactive Food From Japan?!

 

Singapore Refutes WSJ Radioactive Japan Food Podcast!

The Wall Street Journal podcast and transcript is genuine, and was posted on 24 August 2023, at 6:42 PM (local time). However, that was just an audio clip and transcript of an old WSJ article (now removed) that was originally posted on 25 March 2011 – more than 12 years ago!

It is unknown why the Wall Street Journal chose to publish this podcast and transcript from their old 2011 story, but it was released on the same day the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station started releasing its treated wastewater.

If there was any detection of radioactive food from Japan, it would have happened at least a day or two earlier, and would not have anything to do with the release of the treated wastewater from the Fukushima NPS.

Recommended : Fukushima Waste Water Release : Should You Worry?!

On 3 September 2023, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issued a public announcement (PDF download) to refute the Wall Street Journal podcast which claimed that it found new samples of radioactive vegetables fin Japan.

SFA stated that it had not found any new contaminated vegetables from Japan. Neither did the SGA ban any food products from any Japanese prefectures recently.

The SFA also stated that it monitors all food imports, and will take action if any food imports were found to be unsafe or unsuitable for consumption.

Clarification on circulating article/podcast regarding import of Japanese food products

In response to media queries regarding a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article/podcast titled “More Countries Ban Import of Japanese Food”, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has clarified that it has not found samples of contaminated vegetables from Japan or banned food products from any Japanese prefectures recently. The WSJ podcast has referred to a media release by the former Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) in 2011. This has since been overtaken by events.

We wish to reiterate that SFA adopts a science-based approach towards assessing food safety risks. Food imported into Singapore is subjected to SFA’s surveillance and monitoring regime, which includes radiation surveillance and enforcement actions will be taken should any food imports be found to be unsafe or unsuitable for consumption.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

The announcement by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore was not posted in August 2023, but over 12 years ago – on 24 March 2011 (PDF download).

DETECTION OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS IN FOUR SAMPLES OF VEGETABLES FROM JAPAN – AVA SUSPENDS IMPORT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FROM ADDITIONAL TWO PREFECTURES

Radioactive contaminants have been detected in four samples of vegetables from Japan. The contaminated samples were imported from the affected prefectures of Tochigi and Ibaraki, as well as Chiba and Ehime which are outside the affected areas. The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) will extend its suspension on the import of all fruits and vegetables to include Chiba and Ehime with immediate effect.

Issued by Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority On 24 Mar 2011

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) had earlier stated that there will be “no immediate ban on seafood from Japan” following the release of the treated Fukushima wastewater.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) stated that its surveillance of the safety of food from Japan has been satisfactory. It has not detected any radioactive contaminant in food imports from Japan since 2013.

In fact, Singapore lifted pre-export tests and Certificate of Origin requirements on approved food imports from the Fukushima prefecture on May 28, 2021.

To be clear, Singapore has not initiated any new import ban of food from Japan.

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | HealthTech ARP

 

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Is BlackRock The Largest Shareholder Of TEPCO?!

Is the United States staying quiet about the release of Fukushima nuclear waste water because BlackRock is the largest shareholder of TEPCO?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : BlackRock Is The Largest TEPCO Shareholder!

This message is being actively promoted by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens on WhatsApp and social media:

Who is behind the discharge of Fukushima NUCLEAR CONTAMINATED water?

In the war of aggression against China in the year 1900, it was not the Japanese government that first initiated the conflict with China, but a certain company. To put it bluntly, it was a Japanese company now renamed as ‘Tepco‘.

Many people may not know about Tepco, which is responsible for the discharge of nuclear sewage in Japan. Tepco is actually an “American company” like South Korea’s Samsung.

The largest shareholder of Tepco is BlackRock of Wall Street, and the second largest shareholder is also The pioneer of Wall Street, and Japan’s own Nomura Asset Management is only the third largest shareholder…

So can you understand why the Americans are silent in this incident? Because the affairs of Japan are the affairs of the United States. The decisions of the Japanese government and Japanese companies are the decisions of the United States.

The United States launches any form of “war” against China, whether it is a trade war, a technological war, a biological war or an environmental war… Japan They are all loyal lackeys and pawns.

The whole world is already at war.

US is using Japan in a proxy war by getting Japan to dump nuclear wastes near China and then ban all Jap seafood to make US absolutely safe from radiation.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

 

Truth : BlackRock Is Not Even Top 10 TEPCO Shareholder!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created or promoted by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Japanese Company Attacked China In 1900

In the first paragraph, the viral message claimed that an unnamed Japanese company attacked China in a “war of aggression in the year 1900”. That appears to be utter nonsense.

The Qing dynasty and the Empire of Japan fought the First Sino-Japanese War from 1894 to 1895. It was only 42 years later that the Empire of Japan would attack the Republic of China.

However, there is no evidence that any Japanese company ever attacked China in the year 1900.

Fact #2 : TEPCO Was Never Renamed

The viral message also claimed that TEPCO was renamed from that unnamed Japanese company which attacked China in the year 1900.

TEPCO – the Tokyo Electric Power Company, was only established in 1951 when the Allied occupation forces privatised Japan’s electricity sector.

Since its establishment on May 1, 1951, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has never been renamed. So the claim in the viral message that TEPCO was renamed is false.

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

Fact #3 : Japanese Government Is Largest TEPCO Shareholder

The viral message also claimed that BlackRock is the largest shareholder of TEPCO. That’s not true.

The Japanese government is the largest and majority shareholder of TEPCO, with almost 55% ownership through the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation.

BlackRock isn’t even in the list of top 10 TEPCO shareholders (as of end of FY2021)! Take a look:

Top 10 TEPCO Shareholders Equity Share
(%)
Nuclear Damage Compensation and
Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation
54.74
The Master Trust Bank of Japan, Ltd. 6.28
Custody Bank of Japan, Ltd. 1.77
TEPCO Group Employees’
Stock Sharing Organization
1.50
Tokyo Metropolitan Government 1.20
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation 1.01
STATE STREET BANK WEST CLIENT
– TREATY 505234
0.75
Nippon Life Insurance Company 0.74
JP MORGAN CHASE BANK 385781 0.56
JP JPMSE LUX RE BARCLAYS
CAPITAL SEC LTD EQ CO
0.55
TOTAL 69.12

Fact #4 : Second Largest Shareholder Is Not Pioneer Of Wall Street

The viral message claimed that the second largest shareholder of TEPCO stock is “The pioneer of Wall Street” but does not mention which American company it was referring to.

In any case, the second largest shareholder is The Master Trust Bank of Japan – a Japanese trust bank. Certainly not an American company.

Fact #5 : Fukushima Is Releasing Waste Water Off Japanese Coast

The viral message also claimed that Japan is dumping its nuclear wastes near China. That’s false.

TEPCO is actually releasing the treated waste water from its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station about 1 km off the coast of Japan.

Fukushima is also located on the east coast of Japan. Not is the waste water being released on the far side of Japan, it is being released AWAY from China.

Recommended : Fukushima Waste Water Release : Should You Worry?!

Fact #6 : US Did Not Ban Japanese Seafood

The viral message also claimed that the United States banned Japanese seafood. That is also false.

In fact, the US FDA deactivated its Import Alert #99-33, which banned certain Japanese food products, in September 2021.

The US FDA has not reactivated that import ban. Neither has it ordered a new ban. That’s because it tested 51 samples for radionuclide contamination, and found no detectable levels of radioactive caesium.

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | HealthTech ARP

 

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

EU + Japan Have Secret Agreement To Re-Export Seafood?!

Is there a secret agreement between the EU and Japan to re-export contaminated seafood to other countries?! Here is what you need to know!

 

Claim : EU + Japan Have Secret Agreement To Re-Export Seafood!

People are sharing this message on WhatsApp and social media, claiming that there is a secret agreement between the EU and Japan to re-export contaminated seafood to other countries!

There is also a secret agreement between EU and the Japs for the EU to re-export the Jap contaminated sea products to other countries eg China, Asia, the Middle East, etc.

Above exposes that just before the Japanese discharges toxic nuclear wastes into the sea, the EU has decided to abolish the checking on imported (contaminated) Japanese seafood products! It’s clear that in the EU there is corruption and it’s also possible that they will secretly re-export the Japanese products to other countries! Thus China has also decided to suspend seafood imports from a number (12) of EU countries!

Thus, in order to ‘con’ the world, the EU simply re-labelled the Jap contaminated products as EU products and re-export them to other countries outside Europe!

It’s obvious that the Japs are paying EU regularly a considerable amount of bribes ( billions of Euros) for this service!

The greed of the whiteman & the evil Japs know no bounds. Do you want to gamble with the lives of your loved ones by consuming these radioactive products from Japan ❓Switch to local fresh fishes.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

 

No Evidence EU + Japan Have Secret Agreement To Re-Export Seafood!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) to scare people into boycotting Japan and Japanese food, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : EU Lifted Final Fukushima Food Import Restrictions

This claim appears to be based on a 13 July 2023 decision by the European Union (EU) to lift its remaining restrictions on food imports from Japan after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The EU placed a strict maximum radioactivity level of 100 Bq/kg on food from Japan since June 2011, requiring pre-export testing of food products for radioactivity.

The EU only made this decision after finding that there was not even a single case of non-compliance over 12 years of monitoring food imports from Japan.

No non-compliances at the entry into the Union with those maximum radionuclide levels have been observed at import in the Union since June 2011, providing evidence that the control system put in place and the controls performed by the Japanese authorities are effective.

Let me repeat this – Japan has, not even once, exported any contaminated food items to the EU in the past 12 years.

Fact #2 : EU Progressively Reduced Fukushima Food Import Restrictions

It is also important to point out that the EU has reviewed its food import restrictions on Japan every two years, and has progressively lifted those restrictions .

In its last review on September 2021, the restrictions were only limited to wild mushrooms, some fish species, and wild edible plants from the prefectures of Fukushima, Miyagi,, Gunma, Yamanashi, Yamagata, Iwata, Shizuoka, Ibaraki, Nagano, and Niigata.

In other words, the EU had been progressively lifting food import restrictions on Japan, and only lifted its remaining restrictions on 13 July 2023. It was not like they suddenly lifted all food restrictions on that day.

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

Fact #3 : China Did Not Suspend EU Seafood Imports

On 24 August 2023, China announced an immediate blanket ban on all seafood imports from Japan. However, the import ban does not affect non-seafood food imports from Japan like vegetables, fruits, or canned food.

There is no evidence that China suspended seafood imports from 12 EU countries over fears of radioactive seafood being re-exported from Japan.

Fact #4 : There Is No Evidence Of Any Secret EU + Japan Re-Export Plan

There is also no evidence at all that the European Union (EU) has any secret plan to re-export contaminated seafood from Japan to other countries.

Of course, you may be thinking – how would I know since this is a secret agreement? Well, where is the evidence there is such a secret agreement?

Did the viral message include any evidence of such an agreement between the EU and Japan? No. So why should YOU believe some random claim circulating on WhatsApp / social media, with zero evidence to back it up?

Recommended : Fukushima Waste Water Release : Should You Worry?!

Fact #5 : EU Seafood Re-Export Plan Not Logical

It is easy to claim that the EU is willing to help the Japanese re-export their contaminated seafood to other countries, but it’s really not logical.

For one thing – it is prohibitively expensive to export all those seafood to any European Union country, for re-export to China, Asia and the Middle East. It would also be quite impossible for EU countries to mask the Japan-native seafood species, and claim that they were caught in Europe!

Finally, such activities would be easily exposed by any importing country simply conducting radioactivity screening of imported food products.

Fact #5 : Japan Seafood Exports Are Only Worth €2.4 Billion

The claim that Japan is paying the EU billions of euros every year to re-export radioactive Japanese seafood is also not logical.

For one thing – the global export value of Japanese seafood in 2022 is only 387 billion yen, or about $2.6 billion / €2.4 billion.

Even if Japan exclusively exports ALL of its seafood to the EU to re-export to unsuspecting countries, it does not make financial sense to pay the EU a “bribe” of billions of euros to export only €2.4 billion worth of seafood!

Recommended : Did Hong Kong Just Ban All Food From Japan?!

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | HealthTech ARP

 

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Fukushima Radioactive Water : What Makes It Different?

Is the radioactive water being discharged from the Fukushima nuclear plant really different from waste water from other nuclear plants?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Fukushima Radioactive Water Is Different From Normal Nuclear Waste Water!

People are sharing a Greenpeace article, as evidence that the radioactive water from Fukushima is not the same as normal nuclear waste water, but far more toxic and dangerous. Here is an excerpt from that Greenpeace article:

How is Fukushima wastewater distinguished from other nuclear plants?

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

 

What Makes Fukushima Radioactive Water Different?

The Greenpeace article makes for a compelling read, but here are the reasons why it is no longer accurate.

Fact #1 : Greenpeace Posted This In April 2021

First, it is best to note that this Greenpeace article was written in April 2021 in reaction to the Japanese government’s publication of its plan to eventually discharge the Fukushima radioactive waste water into the ocean.

The problem is that article was written almost 2.5 years before Japan actually initiated its plan to release the treated radioactive waste water from the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Since then, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the Japanese government have provided additional data to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for its evaluation of the proposed plan to discharge treated radioactive waste water into the ocean.

Fact #2 : IAEA Released A Comprehensive Report

Right after announcing its waste water release plan in April 2021, the Japanese government requested that the IAEA conduct a detailed review of that plan, to ensure that it meets the relevant international safety standards.

The IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi accepted and established a task force to review the Japanese government’s plan to release the treated radioactive waste water. The task force was made up of top specialists from within the IAEA, and advised by internationally-recognised external experts from across the globe.

After two years of work, the IAEA publicly released its comprehensive report (PDF download) on 4 July 2023. The IAEA concluded that the plan to release treated water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea was “consistent with IAEA Safety Standards“.

Fact #3 : Fukushima Waste Water Is Filtered

It is true that the Fukushima waste water is different from normal nuclear waste water in that it has come into direct contact with radioactive material. Hence, it has many more radionuclides than normal nuclear waste water.

However, the heavily-contaminated waste water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is not going to be released directly into the ocean.

Instead, it will be filtered and treated using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), to remove 62 radionuclides from the contaminated water.

Recommended : Fukushima Waste Water Release : Should You Worry?!

Fact #4 : Fukushima Water Tanks Keep Leaking!

The Greenpeace article correctly points that there is a lot of radioactive water being stored at Fukushima Daiichi. In fact, there is currently about 1.3 million tonnes of radioactive water is stored in over 1,000 gigantic tanks!

Obviously, this is not a sustainable solution for TEPCO in the long-term, as they have to keep building new tanks, and old tanks will eventually leak. Or the water may be accidentally released.

  • In August 2013, TEPCO revealed that 300 metric tonnes of highly-radioactive water leaked from a storage tank.
  • In October 2013, TEPCO revealed that another tank was leaking, and some of the highly-radioactive water may have reached the ocean.
  • In February 2014, TEPCO revealed that a valve left open by mistake allowed about 100 tonnes of highly-radioactive water to overflow from a storage tank.
  • In October 2016, about 32 litres of highly-radioactive water leaked from a seam in a water tank.

Regardless of what we may think about the release of radioactive water into the ocean, it doesn’t appear to be practical to keep all that water in tanks that will eventually leak. Or even worse – get discharged all in one go, if there is another earthquake!

It is arguably much safer to treat and discharge the water, instead of risking these inevitable leaks of highly-radioactive water.

Fact #5 : Expected Exposure 1000X Lower Than Limit

For the purpose of the IAEA review, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of Japan selected a dose constraint of 0.05 mSv (millisieverts) per year for someone exposed to the ALPS-treated water.

That is 20X lower than the “average accumulated background radiation dose of an individual for 1 year, exclusive of radon, in the United States“. In other words – very conservative.

The IAEA task force and TEPCO also assessed the exposure risk from within a 10 km x 10 km area surrounding the discharge point. Again, very conservative – because no one really would be foolish enough to fish from that area!

In the end, the amount of extra radioactivity that one might get from swimming in ALPS-treated water and ingesting seafood exposed to ALPS-treated water is less than 0.01 microsieverts. That’s about 5,000X lower than the NRA limit!

The IAEA report, however, is even more conservative in its evaluation:

[I]n all cases the doses are very low and more than 1000 times lower than the dose constraint of 0.05 mSv per year. 

Recommended : Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

Was the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant caught releasing black radioactive water into the ocean?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Fukushima Released Black Radioactive Water Into Ocean!

A video showing black water being discharged into the ocean has gone viral, with people claiming that it shows nuclear waste being disposed into the Pacific Ocean by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

👆Footage of the release of the Fukushima nuclear waste water into the sea. Apparently more than 7,000 liters are to be discharged from 24/8 and through the next 17 days…. The Japs are evil, look at the blackness of the fluids discharged!!

Give seafood a miss in the future!

Japan latest news..

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

 

The Truth About Viral Fukushima Black Radioactive Water Video!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and/or shared by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens, to scare people into boycotting Japan and Japanese food, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral Video Was Not Edited

First, I should confirm that the viral video is genuine, and was not edited, or created by generative AI software.

However, the video has nothing to do with the discharge of radioactive waste water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Fact #2 : Viral Video Was Recorded In June 2020

For one thing – the viral video was recorded on June 25, 2020 – more than 3 years before the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started releasing its radioactive waste water on Thursday, August 24, 2023.

Fact #3 : Viral Video Was Recorded In Mexico

On top of that, the viral video was not even recorded in Japan! It was recorded from the balcony of a hotel in the famous beach resort town of Acapulco in Mexico, just off the Icacos Beach.

If you look carefully at the video, you can see leisure boats, beach chairs and the hotel’s swimming pool. This was obviously NOT recorded at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which is filled with gigantic water tanks holding radioactive waste water.

Recommended : Did Hong Kong Just Ban All Food From Japan?!

Fact #4 : That Was Sewage, Not Radioactive Water

The black water being discharged into the ocean was not radioactive water, but rather – smelly sewage!

Mexican state officials said that the high-pressure stream of raw sewage may have come from a broken sewer line, which potentially overflowed due to heavy rainfall in the last few days.

According to a witness, the filthy discharge lasted about 25 minutes, and was extremely smelly:

The constant outflow of black water lasted approximately 25 minutes, which came with a lot of pressure. They were very stinking waters, they made me nauseous.

Fact #5 : Fukushima Waste Water Is Filtered + Treated Before Release

To be clear – TEPCO isn’t going to just release the radioactive water into the ocean. The Fukushima waste water is being filtered using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove most of its radioactivity.

The ALPS uses a series of chemical reactions to remove 62 radionuclides from the contaminated water, leaving only tritium and carbon-14. Tritium and carbon-14 are radioactive forms of hydrogen and carbon, which makes them difficult to separate from water.

The treated waste water is then diluted with seawater to reduce the concentration of tritium and carbon-14 before it is released into the ocean.

The final level of tritium is estimated at 1,500 becquerels per litre, which is lower than what is required by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for release, and even lower than the WHO limit for drinking water.

Recommended : Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food

Fact #6 : Fukushima Waste Water To Be Released Over 30 Years

Most people are not aware that nuclear power plants around the world regularly release waste water containing higher tritium levels than the treated waste water from Fukushima.

Of course, TEPCO will be releasing A LOT MORE waste water than those power plants, having accumulated over 1.3 million tonnes over the last 12 years or so.

That’s why TEPCO will gradually release the treated Fukushima waste water into the Pacific Ocean over an extended period of 30 years.

According to molecular pathology expert Gerry Thomas, who worked with Japanese scientists on radiation research, and advised the IAEA on the Fukushima reports:

The water released will be a drop in the ocean, both in terms of volume and radioactivity. There is no evidence that these extremely low levels of radioisotopes have a detrimental health effect.

This is just another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food Fact Check!

Here is what you need to know about the FDA import alert 99-33 on Japanese food over radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant!

Updated @ 2023-08-25 : Updated the article
Originally posted @ 2023-03-21

 

Claim : FDA Issued Import Alert 99-33, Banning Japanese Food!

This message has gone viral on and off over the years, being shared again and again on WhatsApp, and social media. It’s long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts…

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a notice

A week ago, the US law came into force:
🎯 FDA Issued Alert No. 99-33, prohibiting the following
🅾️ Japanese food entering the US:
📎 Fresh milk,
📎 Butter,
📎Milk powder,
📎Baby milk powder, and others
📎Dairy products;
📎Vegetables, sweet potatoes, salt, and other products
📎Rice,
📎 Whole wheat;
📎Fish;
📎Meat and poultry;
📎Clams;
📎 sea urchin;
📎Citrus pomelo fruits;
📎 Apples, kiwis and other fruits.

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

 

The Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) to scare people into boycotting Japan and Japanese food, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : FDA Issued Import Alert #99-33 In March 2011

On March 11, 2011, Japan was hit by a massive tsunami triggered by a 9-magnitude earthquake off its Pacific coast. The force of the tsunami greatly damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, contaminating the surrounding area with radioactive material.

The Government of Japan determined that certain food products in affected prefectures were therefore not fit for human consumption, due to the risk of contamination by the radioactive material. They banned those food products from sale within Japan, and for export.

The US FDA responded by issuing Import Alert #99-33 – “Detention Without Physical Examination of Products from Japan due to Radionuclide Contamination.

This part of the viral post is true, but everything else is false.

Fact #2 : FDA Import Alert #99-33 Was Limited To Certain Prefectures

The FDA Import Alert #99-33 did not ban the import of all Japanese food products, as the viral post claimed.

It only targeted Japan’s own restrictions at the prefecture level, using Section 801(a)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act:

FDA-regulated products are subject to refusal and will be refused admission into the United States if the products appear to be forbidden or restricted for sale in the country in which they were produced or from which they were exported.

Fact #3 : FDA Cancelled Import Alert #99-33 In September 2021

On September 21, 2022, the US FDA deactivated (cancelled) Import Alert #99-33. Since then, there has been no ban on any food product from the five affected prefectures of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki.

Now, after an extensive analysis of Japan’s robust control measures that include decontamination, monitoring and enforcement; after reviewing the results of 10 years of sampling food products from Japan; and after determining a very low risk to American consumers from radioactive contaminated foods imported from Japan, FDA has decided that the IA is no longer necessary to protect public health and therefore should be deactivated.

Despite this cancellation of the import ban more than a year ago, the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) continues to spread this fake story on WhatsApp, as well as social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Recommended : Did Hong Kong Just Ban All Food From Japan?!

Fact #4 : Australia Did Not Stop Issuing Visa To Japanese Travellers

Australia never suspended visa issuance for Japanese travels over the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.

Fact #5 : US Did Not Suspend Japanese Immigration

The United States never suspended immigration of Japanese citizens over the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.

Fact #6 : Japan Did Not Supply Contaminated Food To Tourists

This claim has been repeatedly promoted by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and is categorically false.

Japan did not reserve their contaminated food supply for consumption by tourists, while importing food for their own citizens. Neither did Chinese tourists to Japan suffer “strange diseases of varying degrees”.

Those are just lies created by the wumao to scare Chinese citizens into boycotting Japan and Japanese food products.

Fact #7 : Fukushima Radiation Only Affected A Small Area Of Japan

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident did not affect 70% of Japanese territory.

The Government of Japan established a 30 kilometre no-fly zone, and a 20 kilometre exclusion zone, around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Aerial survey of the radioactive caesium levels in May 2012 show that only a small part of Japan was affected.

Recommended : Fukushima Waste Water Release : Should You Be Worried?!

Fact #8 : Harmful Radionuclides Were Removed From Wastewater

Both fresh water and seawater were used to cool down the melting nuclear fuel rods and spent fuel rods stored at the facility.

Measures were quickly taken to block the seepage of the contaminated wastewater into the sea and water table. For example, TEPCO poured a 60 cm-thick concrete wall covering 70,000 square meters of ocean seabed.

There were occasional accidental discharges of radioactive wastewater, but generally the radioactive wastewater was stored in massive storage tanks and treated using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS).

ALPS removed harmful radionuclides like caesium and strontium from the wastewater, leaving only tritium – a mildly radioactive and far less harmful hydrogen isotope.

Fact #9 : Decontaminated Wastewater Used To Keep Reactors Cooled

The water treatment system became fully-functional, together with water recycling systems on 3 July 2011.

The decontaminated wastewater thereafter is being 100% reused to keep the reactors cooler, so no additional volume of contaminated water would be generated.

Fact #10 : Excess Decontaminated Wastewater To Be Released

A large amount of treated wastewater remain at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, and on April 13, 2021, the Government of Japan announced that the treated wastewater would be released in 2023.

The US FDA says that the treated wastewater presents an “extremely low” health risk even if consumed, which is rather minimised because it’s being discharged into the vast ocean.

According to scientific experts from interagency advisory teams and FDA representatives to the US Advisory Team for Environment, Food and Health, the release of the treated wastewater will have “no effect on the safety of foods imported from Japan“.

In other words, the FDA considers food from Japan to be perfectly safe to import and consume, even after the treated wastewater is released into the ocean.

Recommended : Did US Refuse WHO Investigation Of Fort Detrick?!

This is just another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Hong Kong Just Ban ALL Food From Japan?!

Did Hong Kong just ban all food imports from Japan, after the Fukushima nuclear plant started releasing radioactive waste water into the Pacific Ocean?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Hong Kong Just Banned All Food From Japan!

People are sharing a video clip on TikTok and WhatsApp, claiming that Hong Kong just banned all food imports from Japan, after the Fukushima nuclear plant started releasing radioactive waste water into the Pacific Ocean!

The video just shows images of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, fishing boats, seafood, and Japanese food products, with this warning:

STOP BUYING ALL JAPANESE FOODS, Japan Starts Dumping its Nuclear Waste into Ocean on Thursday 24/8/23

HK has prohibited all Japanese Foods, including Vegetables, Fruits, Seaweed and Canned Food.

The video clip is also shared with messages like this example:

Confirmed HKG [Hong Kong] yesterday announced the ban on food from Japanese, both raw and pre-prepared.

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

 

Truth : Hong Kong Did Not Ban All Food From Japan!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Hong Kong Did Not Ban All Food From Japan

Let me just start by pointing out that Hong Kong did not ban ALL food imports from Japan.

It would be illogical to do that since the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant only goes into the Pacific Ocean, and does not affect land produce, for example.

Fact #2 : Hong Kong Only Banned Some Seafood From Japan

On 22 August 2023, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee ordered Environment Secretary Tse Chin-wan and relevant departments to immediately activate import controls on some seafood from Japan.

Environment Secretary Tse Chin-wan then announced an indefinite ban on some seafood imports starting on Thursday, 24 August 2023 – when the Fukushima nuclear power plant is expected to begin releasing its treated waste water.

Fact #3 : Macau Banned Live + Fresh Food

In tandem with Hong Kong, Macau also ordered an import ban on food from Japan. But instead of banning just seafood, Macau is banning live and fresh food products, food products of animal origin, sea salt and seaweed.

While this appears to be more wide-ranging than the seafood-only ban by Hong Kong, it only covers “live and fresh” food products, and does not appear to cover dried foods or canned food products.

Fact #4 : Only 10 Prefectures Are Affected

In addition, the limited food import ban by Hong Kong and Macau only affects 10 prefectures in Japan:

  • Tokyo,
  • Fukushima,
  • Chiba,
  • Gunma,
  • Tochigi,
  • Ibaraki,
  • Miyagi,
  • Niigata,
  • Nagano, and
  • Saitama

All forms of seafood from these ten prefectures will be banned from being imported into Hong Kong, regardless of whether they are frozen, chilled, or dried. It does not include vegetables, fruits, or canned food.

When it comes to Macau, only live and fresh food products from these ten prefectures will be banned from being imported.

Recommended : Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food

Fact #5 : Even China Only Banned Seafood From Japan

Just in case you think that it was China that banned all food imports from Japan, that is also untrue.

On 24 August 2023, China announced an immediate blanket ban on all seafood imports from Japan.

While the Chinese ban is much wider – covering the entirety of Japan, it is still limited to seafood, and does not affect non-seafood food imports from Japan.

Just like the Hong Kong ban, the Chinese ban does not include vegetables, fruits, or canned food.

Fact #6 : Fukushima Waste Water Is Filtered + Treated Before Release

To be clear – TEPCO isn’t going to just release radioactive water into the ocean. The Fukushima waste water is being filtered using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove most of its radioactivity.

The ALPS uses a series of chemical reactions to remove 62 radionuclides from the contaminated water, leaving only tritium and carbon-14. Tritium and carbon-14 are radioactive forms of hydrogen and carbon, which makes them difficult to separate from water.

The treated waste water is then diluted with seawater to reduce the concentration of tritium and carbon-14 before it is released into the ocean.

The final level of tritium is estimated at 1,500 becquerels per litre, which is lower than what is required by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for release, and even lower than the WHO limit for drinking water.

Recommended : Fukushima Waste Water Release : Should You Be Worried?!

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

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Fukushima Waste Water Release : Should You Worry?!

Japan will start releasing tons of treated radioactive waste water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant!

Take a look at the viral warnings, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Fukushima Waste Water Will Contaminate Japanese Food!

People are now sharing articles about the impending release of radioactive waste water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, with warnings about contaminated Japanese food!

Circulating on WhatsApp : Must avoid seafood from Japan 😭.

@ElysiusThor : RADIOACTIVE ☢️ CONTAMINATION ALERT:

Avoid consuming any Japanese seafood imports. Japan will start dumping their 1million ton of radioactive ☢️ waste water into the ocean this Thursday. Keep your family safe from radiation-laced Japanese seafood products.

Circulating on WhatsApp : Good luck to shashimi lovers

Japan to release Fukushima waste water into the ocean starting on Thursday

Recommended : The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

 

No Evidence Fukushima Waste Water Will Contaminate Japanese Food

The decision of the Japanese government to release the radioactive Fukushima waste water is an emotionally-charged event that has triggered condemnation by many people all over the world.

It doesn’t help that there is now a wave of warnings about contaminated Japanese food on social media and instant messaging platforms.

Take some deep breaths and CALM yourself down. Then consider what we know so far about all these warnings.

Fact #1 : Japan Approved Release Of Fukushima Waste Water

On Tuesday, 22 August 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida approved the release of the radioactive waste water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, at a meeting of Cabinet ministers involved in the plan.

He instructed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant’s operators, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) to get ready to release the waste water from Thursday onwards, if weather and sea conditions permit.

At the cabinet meeting, Kishida said that the release of the waste water is an essential step to decommissioning the nuclear plant, and continue with the recover of the Fukushima prefecture after the 11 March 2011 disaster.

Fact #2 : IAEA Approved Release Of Fukushima Waste Water

The International Atomic Agency (IAEA) conducted a safety review of Japan’s plans to release treated water into the Pacific Ocean.

After nearly two years of work, the IAEA released a report (PDF download) on 4 July 2023. The IAEA concluded that the plan are “consistent with relevant international safety standards“, and would have “negligible radiological impact on people and the environment“.

Fact #3 : Fukushima Uses Water To Cool Fuel Rods

Now, it is necessary to understand WHY there is even radioactive waste water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

After the plant’s cooling systems were destroyed by the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami, three of its nuclear reactors melted down. The reactors were also damaged by explosions caused by the release of hydrogen gas.

To prevent further damage to the reactors, TEPCO has been pumping water to cool the nuclear fuel rods. The water, which is now contaminated with radioactive elements, is then stored in massive tanks.

Recommended : Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food

Fact #4 : Fukushima Water Tanks Keep Leaking!

Currently, about 1.3 million tonnes of radioactive water is stored in over 1,000 gigantic tanks at the nuclear plant.

Obviously, this is not a sustainable solution for TEPCO in the long-term, as they have to keep building new tanks, and old tanks will eventually leak. Or the water may be accidentally released.

  • In August 2013, TEPCO revealed that 300 metric tonnes of highly-radioactive water leaked from a storage tank.
  • In October 2013, TEPCO revealed that another tank was leaking, and some of the highly-radioactive water may have reached the ocean.
  • In February 2014, TEPCO revealed that a valve left open by mistake allowed about 100 tonnes of highly-radioactive water to overflow from a storage tank.
  • In October 2016, about 32 litres of highly-radioactive water leaked from a seam in a water tank.

Regardless of what we may think about the release of radioactive water into the ocean, it doesn’t appear to be practical to keep all that water in tanks that will eventually leak.

It is arguably much safer to treat and discharge the water, instead of risking these inevitable leaks of highly-radioactive water.

Fact #5 : Fukushima Waste Water Is Filtered + Treated Before Release

To be clear – TEPCO isn’t going to just release the radioactive water into the ocean. The Fukushima waste water is being filtered using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove most of its radioactivity.

The ALPS uses a series of chemical reactions to remove 62 radionuclides from the contaminated water, leaving only tritium and carbon-14. Tritium and carbon-14 are radioactive forms of hydrogen and carbon, which makes them difficult to separate from water.

The treated waste water is then diluted with seawater to reduce the concentration of tritium and carbon-14 before it is released into the ocean.

The final level of tritium is estimated at 1,500 becquerels per litre, which is lower than what is required by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for release, and even lower than the WHO limit for drinking water.

Recommended : Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food

Fact #6 : Fukushima Waste Water To Be Released Over 30 Years

Most people are not aware that nuclear power plants around the world regularly release waste water containing higher tritium levels than the treated waste water from Fukushima.

Of course, TEPCO will be releasing A LOT MORE waste water than those power plants, having accumulated over 1.3 million tonnes over the last 12 years or so.

That’s why TEPCO will gradually release the treated Fukushima waste water into the Pacific Ocean over an extended period of 30 years.

According to molecular pathology expert Gerry Thomas, who worked with Japanese scientists on radiation research, and advised the IAEA on the Fukushima report:

The water released will be a drop in the ocean, both in terms of volume and radioactivity. There is no evidence that these extremely low levels of radioisotopes have a detrimental health effect.

Fact #7 : Tritium Has Short Half-Life

Tritium has a short radioactive half-life of 12.32 years. What this means is that tritium will rapidly degrade:

  • only half the amount would remain after 12.32 years
  • a quarter will remain after 24.64 years

In other words, some of the waste water in Fukushima now has half the amount of tritium than was originally present when it was collected 12 years ago!

And if water collected in August 2023 was only released at the end of the 30 year discharge timeline, only 18.5% of its original quantity of tritium would remain in the water.

This is part of the reason why tritium paint is no longer used in premium watches to provide illuminated dials – its brightness keeps halving every 12 years!

Recommended : Heavy Gadget Use Killing Kids With Radiation?!

Fact #8 : Tritium + Carbon-14 Occur Naturally

Both tritium and carbon-14 emit very low levels of radiation through beta radiation, which has low penetrating power – it can be stopped by nothing more than a layer of clothing or aluminium foil!

But more importantly, both tritium and carbon-14 occur naturally in the environment, and only pose a risk to human life if consumed in large quantities.

Unless you plan to drink a lot of undiluted Fukushima waste water to prove a point, you are unlikely to suffer radiation poisoning.

Fact #9 : Waste Water Will Be Discharged Into Ocean

Finally, let me end by simply pointing out that the Fukushima waste water isn’t going to be used to irrigate Japanese farms. So there is no risk to Japanese farm produce.

There is also no evidence that the treated waste water will contaminate Japanese seafood as the treated Fukushima waste water will be released into the ocean, which will further dilute the concentration of the tritium and carbon-14 nucleotides.

Fact #10 : Contaminated Fish Mostly Limited To Fukushima Area

There have been reports that fish living near the drainage outlets at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was found to have radioactive caesium 180X higher than Japan’s safety limit.

However, that contamination cannot be from the discharge of the treated waste water (which has not occurred and would not contain radioactive caesium), but is mostly caused by untreated contaminated water that has been leaking from the nuclear plant for many years now.

In other words, the discovery of such contaminated fish is evidence that the waste water should be treated, instead of being left untreated in storage tanks to risk further leaks.

TEPCO installed nets in January 2016 to contain contaminated fish inside the area. However, these nets have apparently failed, allowing contaminated fish to escape. That’s why regular sampling is now conducted in the area to detect such leaks.

Since contaminated water flowed into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station port immediately after the accident, Tepco has periodically removed fish from inside the port since 2012 using fishnets that have been installed to prevent the fish from escaping the port.

However, when a black rockfish with radioactive concentrations that exceed regulatory standards was caught off the coast of Soma [about 50km north of the plant] in January 2022, we began sampling again within this area in conjunction with the installation of more nets to prevent fish from leaving the port.

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Did Japan Order Investigation Of COVID-19 Vaccine Deaths?!

Did Japan just order an official investigation into COVID-19 vaccines because of skyrocketing excess deaths?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Japan Orders Investigation Of COVID-19 Vaccine Deaths!

People are sharing an article by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), suggesting or claiming that Japan just ordered an investigation into COVID-19 vaccines because of skyrocketing excess deaths?!

Steve Kirsch : Wow. The Japanese government deletes vaccine data that they don’t like. I didn’t realize the Japanese government was just as corrupt as the other governments. I regret the error. This is one of the many reasons I don’t trust government data anymore. And neither should you.

Prof Shmuel C. Shapira MD MPH : It is Hapenning. [sic] ‘This Is a National Crisis’: Japan Orders Investigation Into Covid Jabs As Excess Deaths Skyrocket

Here is an excerpt from the article, which is pretty long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

This Is a National Crisis’: Japan Orders Investigation Into Covid Jabs As Excess Deaths Skyrocket

“Today, we filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government for cancellation of the administrative action,” announced Dr. Masanori Fukushima during a press conference. Because the Japanese Health Ministry refuses to acknowledge the causal link between vaccines and deaths, Professor Fukushima and a team of researchers said they “had no choice but to dare to take legal action.”

Recommended : Died Suddenly : Anti-Vaccination Movie Lies Exposed!

 

Truth : Japan Did Not Order Investigation Of COVID-19 Vaccine Deaths!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Japan Did Not Order Any Investigation Into COVID-19 Vaccines

First, let me just point out that the Japanese government has not ordered any investigation into COVID-19 vaccines.

In fact, The People’s Voice article only makes that claim in its title. The article itself does not refer to any investigation by the Japanese government into COVID-19 vaccines!

The truth is – a Japanese private citizen called Dr. Masanori Fukushima took upon himself to call for a press conference to announce that he decided to “file a lawsuit against the Japanese government” over COVID-19 vaccines.

It looks like all those who shared the article, and claimed that Japan just ordered an investigation into COVID-19 vaccines after excess deaths skyrocketed did not actually read the article itself…

Of course, one has to wonder why The People’s Voice used a title that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the content of its own article…

Fact #2 : Dr. Fukushima Filed His Lawsuit In February 2023

The article by The People’s Voice isn’t even new. It was published on June 9, 2023. But even that article was based on old news.

Dr. Masanori Fukushima announced his decision to sue the Japanese government over COVID-19 vaccines on 2 February 2023 – 4 months before The People’s Voice published its article.

Interestingly, the video (and screenshots) of Dr. Fukushima announcing his lawsuit against the Japanese government was widely shared on social media in February 2023. Yet, both the video or its screenshots were not seen in The People’s Voice‘s article.

In the spirit of transparency, I attached it below. As you can see, it was posted by @ShortShort_News, and dated 2 February 2023.

Recommended : COVID-19 Vaccines Caused Stillbirth Surge In Singapore?!

Fact #3 : No Evidence Japanese Government Deleted Data

There does not appear to be any evidence that the Japanese government deleted data on the COVID-19 fatality rate of vaccinated vs unvaccinated people.

In fact, Dr. Fukushima mentioned that the Japanese government had earlier published the data in September 2021. Once published, the information is already public. So it wouldn’t matter even if the Japanese government actually tries to delete the data.

“As such, data on the fatality rates had already been published in official documents after all. However, in last year’s data, the Health Ministry deleted all that information,” Dr. Fukushima loathed.

It is quite likely that the quote on the Japanese Health Ministry “deleting” the information was a mistranslation. Dr. Fukushima probably meant that the Japanese Health Ministry was no longer providing updated information, or stopped providing the data.

Fact #4 : The People’s Voice Is A Fake News Website

The People’s Voice is the new name / brand for NewsPunch, which likely changed its name because it has been so thoroughly discredited, its brand was worthless.

Like Real Raw News, NewPunch was a FAKE NEWS website that capitalises on making shocking but fake stories to generate page views and money.

It was founded as Your News Wire in 2014, before being rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news spread on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should NEVER share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I personally debunked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Avanade + Accenture: 2023 Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year!

Avanade and Accenture have just been named 2023 Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year, for the 18th time!

 

Avanade + Accenture: 2023 Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year!

Avanade and Accenture have been named 2023 Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year. This is the 18th time that Avanade and Accenture received the Global SI Partner of the Year recognition from Microsoft.

In total, Avanade and Accenture received close to 120 Partner of the Year awards across various technology and country categories throughout their history, for helping clients transform their employee and customer experiences by creating and delivering leading-edge solutions using Microsoft solutions.

Both companies were also recognised with 17 other awards including Malaysia Partner of the Year and Singapore Partner of the Year.

  • Dynamics 365 Sales & Marketing Partner of the Year
  • Low Code Application Development Partner of the Year
  • Automotive, Mobility and Transportation Partner of the Year
  • Customer Experience Partner of the Year
  • Malaysia Country Partner of the Year
  • Singapore Country Partner of the Year
  • Germany Country Partner of the Year
  • Greece Country Partner of the Year
  • France Country Partner of the Year
  • Portugal Country Partner of the Year
  • UK Country Partner of the Year
  • Denmark: Azure Core: Cloud Infrastructure Partner of The Year
  • Finland: GSI Growth Champion Partner of The Year
  • Asia Pacific: Azure Data & AI Partner of the Year
  • Asia Pacific: Azure Infrastructure Partner of the Year
  • Singapore: Financial Services Industry Partner of The Year
  • Japan: Energy and Resources Partner of the Year

The companies were also named finalists in the following five categories: Retail & Consumer Goods Partner of the Year; Dynamics 365 Finance Partner of the Year; Dynamics 365 Services Partner of the Year; Security Compliance Partner of the Year; Business Intelligence Partner of the Year

The unique partnership between Avanade, Accenture and Microsoft truly enables us to do what matters for our clients – building more resilience in a world of continuous change, empowering employees to embrace new ways of working, strengthening customer experience and now, guiding them on their journey to an ‘AI-first’ world.

Being recognized as Microsoft’s Global SI Partner of The Year for the 18th time is a remarkable achievement that is only possible because of our people all over the world who, every day, bring unrivalled expertise, experience and insights to help our clients solve their toughest business challenges.

– Avanade CEO Pam Maynard

Recommended : Microsoft : No More Windows 10 Updates, EOL In 2025!

 

Avanade + Accenture Collaborates With Microsoft On AI

Avanade, Accenture and Microsoft recently announced an expansion of their close collaboration to help organizations adopt the disruptive power of generative AI, accelerated by the cloud, to fundamentally transform their businesses.

By tapping into the new Accenture Center for Advanced AI, with its deep focus on generative AI and large language models, and the new Avanade AI Organizational Readiness Framework, the companies can help their clients take advantage of generative AI for safe and responsible innovation at scale.

Over the past year, we’ve expanded our partnership with Microsoft by helping more clients transform their organizations through the adoption of data and AI, cloud, metaverse, sustainability and other technologies.

Together with Avanade, we take great pride in helping clients accelerate change to achieve new growth and value, and we look forward to an exciting journey forward with Microsoft.

– Chris Howarth, Senior Managing Director and Accenture Microsoft Business Group Lead

Combined, Avanade and Accenture now have more than 65,000 professionals dedicated to delivering Microsoft technologies.

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Are Nazis From Japan Fighting For Ukraine?!

Are Nazis from Japan fighting for Ukraine against Russia?!

Take a look at the viral photos, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Nazis From Japan Are Fighting For Ukraine Against Russia!

The Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens are sharing photos of what they suggest are Nazis from Japan in Ukraine, helping to fight against Russia!

Japanese Nazis are fighting in Ukraine

Team Japanese in Ukraine

Anarchy is alive and in Ukraine

Note : I placed the misleading overlay to prevent the photos from being further abused.

 

Truth : Nazis From Japan Are Not Fighting For Ukraine Against Russia!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Photos Are Unrelated

After investigating the viral screenshot, I was able to confirm that they consist of two sets of photos that are unrelated.

The first set of photos, which show four soldiers in Ukraine, was posted by @rattionyade on February 10, 2023.

The second photo is completely unrelated to the first set of photos, and was posted by @xenovampiro (as well as other people) on February 12, 2023.

Fact #2 : Rising Sun Flag Is Not Japanese Nazi Flag

The Rising Sun flag is not the Japanese version of Germany’s Nazi flag. This is actually the Imperial Japanese Navy ensign called Jyūrokujō-Kyokujitsu-ki (十六条旭日旗) that was adopted on May 15, 1870 – over 150 years ago!

The Imperial Japanese Navy used it until the end of World War 2 in 1945. However, it was readopted and has been used by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force on all its ships since June 30, 1954.

Fact #3 : Japanese Nazi Flag Photo Was From 2014

The photo showing men carrying Japanese Rising Sun and Nazi Germany flags was not taken recently, or even in Ukraine.

It is unknown who took this photo, but it was possibly a photographer from the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, as the photo was posted by Asahi Shimbun editorial board member Itaru Tominaga (@tanutinn) on Twitter on August 2, 2015, with the description:

東京での日本の国家主義者のデモンストレーション。
彼らは安倍首相と彼の保守的な政治を支持している。

Japanese nationalist demonstration in Tokyo. They are supporting PM Abe and his conservative administration.

On further investigation, I found out that Tominaga deleted the tweet because it was misleading when he posted it – it was taken almost a year ago, on April 20, 2014 – the 125th anniversary of the birth of Adolf Hitler.

On that day, about 40 Japanese protestors marched through the busy entertainment area of the Ikebukuro district of Tokyo, bellowing racist chants about South Korea and China. While the Asahi Shimbun article is no longer available online, you can download a copy here.

In short – this viral photo was taken in Tokyo, Japan, on 20 April 2014, and had nothing to do with Ukraine or the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Fact #4 : Ukraine Has Foreign Volunteer Battalions Since 2014

Informal volunteer military groups were formed in spring 2014, from local militias and paramilitary groups, in response to the Russian military intervention in Ukraine.

The Ukraine Ministry of Defence later formed 32 volunteer battalions called “Territorial Defence Battalions”, and the Ukrainian parliament voted on 6 October 2014 to allow foreign fighters to join the military. In December 2014, President Petro Poroshenko promising Ukrainian citizenship to foreign fighters who signed up to fight.

Ironically, volunteers from Russia formed the largest group of foreign fighters in Ukraine! Even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, about 3,000 Russian citizens signed up to fight for Ukraine.

Fact #5 : Volunteers From 60 Countries Now Fighting For Ukraine

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian government established the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine.

By 6 March 2022, more than 20,000 volunteers from 52 countries signed up to fight for Ukraine against the Russian invasion. So it would not be surprising to find volunteers from Japan fighting for Ukraine.

@rattionyade, who posted the viral photo on the left, appears to be one of the Japanese volunteers fighting for Ukraine, as he often posts about his life in Ukraine.

Back in November 2022, it was revealed that volunteers from 60 countries are now fighting for Ukraine. Here are some of the units that were formed from those volunteers:

  • Canadian Brigade : Ukrainian-Canadian volunteers, including former servicemen from Canada
  • Norman Brigade : veterans from Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, France, South Africa, and Poland.
  • Freedom of Russia Legion : former servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces, as well as other Russian and Belarusian volunteers.
  • Russian Volunteer Corps : formed from Russian volunteers who have been fighting for Ukraine since 2014.
  • Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion : Mostly Chechen volunteers who fought in the First Chechen War and Second Chechen War against Russia.
  • Pahonia Regiment : Belarusian volunteers

Fact #6 : Russia Also Has Foreign Volunteer Forces

Foreigners have also signed up to fight on the Russian side, either as members of the Russian diaspora, for ideological reasons, or as mercenaries hired by the Russian government.

  • Serbian foreign fighters : International Brigade, Seventh Brigade, Serbian-Hussar Regiment, Ural Unit, First Slavic Unit, Batman Unit, Rezanj Unit, Jovan Šević Detachment
  • Spanish foreign fighters : Carlos Palomino International Brigade, DKO (Volunteer Communist Unit), Interunit
  • White nationalists, neo-Nazis, fascists and Christian extremists from Europe and North America : Continental Unity, Orthodox Dawn Battalion, Legion of Saint Istvan.
  • Syrian Arab Army : 25th Special Mission Forces Division

Fact #7 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

Here is just the latest dozen the other wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far:

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did 9 Countries Issue Travel Warning On US Violence?!

Did nine countries just issue travel warnings against the US because of the rising violence there?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : 9 Countries Issued Travel Warning On US Violence!

The Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens are now promoting articles claiming that nine countries just issued travel warnings against the US because of the rising violence there!

Even Chinese state propaganda outlet Global Times wrote about these new travel warnings of US violence. Here’s an excerpt:

As the conflict between Americans with different political demands becomes increasingly violent, some countries close to the US have expressed concerns about the safety of their citizens in the US, reflecting their growing lack of confidence in Washington’s political system and governance capability.

A CNN report on Sunday observed the rare phenomenon that nine countries – Australia, New Zealand, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Canada, and Israel – have issued various levels of travel warnings against the US due to increasing violence in the country.

 

Truth : Those Travel Warnings On US Violence Are Not New!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens.

In the following sections, I will share with you what exactly did those nine countries advise, and show you why they are nothing more than common sense advice.

Yes, the US has a gun violence problem, but those nine countries did not advise its citizens against travelling to the US.

Fact #1 : CNN Report Was Not Referring To New Travel Advisories

The CNN report that Global Times and other media outlets referred to was not a “news report”, but a travel article called “What travel warnings do other nations give their citizens about US violence?

Anyone who reads the article would have noted that the writer, Forrest Brown, did not state that these travel advisories were new.

He was writing to show the people of America what other countries think of them, and was not specifically

American travelers — at least those of the cautious variety — might be familiar with the US State Department’s travel advisories.

The agency monitors the world for potential trouble and issues warnings from “Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions” to “Level 4: Do Not Travel,” alerting would-be visitors to terrorism threats, war, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, high crime rates and other personal security issues.

But have you ever wondered how other countries’ governments caution their citizens about coming to the United States? What kind of reputation does America have?

Fact #2 : Australia Advised Normal Safety Precautions

Australia did not change its travel advisory for the US, which remains at “Exercise normal safety precautions in the United States of America“. Here are its advice with regard to crime:

  • Avoid areas where demonstrations and protests are occurring due to the potential for unrest and violence. Monitor the media for information and updates. Follow the instructions of local authorities, and abide by any curfews in place.
  • Violent crime is more common than in Australia. Gun crime is also prevalent. If you live in the US, learn active shooter drills.
  • Thieves target travellers. Take care in crowded areas and on public transport. Conceal your valuables, and don’t leave items unattended in your car.
  • There is a heightened risk of terrorist attacks in the US. Be alert, particularly in public places and at events.

Fact #3 : Canada Advised Normal Security Precautions

Canada also did not change its travel advisory for the US, which remains at “Take normal security precautions“. Here are its advice with regard to crime:

  • Criminal incidents associated with drug trafficking are more frequent at the border with Mexico, in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.
  • Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, occurs, particularly in urban centres and tourist locations.
  • Within large urban areas, violent crime more commonly occurs in poor neighbourhoods, particularly from dusk to dawn. It often involves intoxication.
  • Incidents of violent crime are mainly carried out by gangs or members of organized crime groups but may also be perpetrated by lone individuals. Although violent crime rarely affects tourists.
  • The rate of firearm possession in the US is high. It’s legal in many states for US citizens to openly carry firearms in public.
  • Incidences of mass shootings occur, resulting most often in casualties. Although tourists are rarely involved, there is a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Fact #4 : UK Advised Sensible Precautions

UK did not appear to change its travel advisory for crime in the US since 9 June 2022, where it asked people to take “sensible precautions”:

  • Take sensible precautions to protect yourself and your property against petty crime.
  • Violent crime, including gun crime, rarely involves tourists, but you should take care when travelling in unfamiliar areas. Avoid walking through less travelled areas alone, especially at night.
  • Incidents of mass shooting can occur, but account for a very small percentage of homicide deaths.
  • Crime associated with the illegal drugs trade is a major issue in Mexican states bordering Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.

Fact #5 : Israel Says There Is No Travel Threat

Israel did not change its travel advisory for the US, which remains at Threat Level 01 (No Travel Threat). It only asked that its citizens take “basic precautionary measures”.

Fact #6 : France Calls US Among The Safest Countries To Visit

France did not change its travel advisory for the US. In fact, it called “the United States of America is among the safest countries” to visit.

It does, however, tells its citizens to be wary of gun violence and crimes in very specific locations like :

  • Boston : gun violence and crime in certain localised areas.
  • New York : petty and medium crime, as well as assaults in the subway
  • Washington : ordinary crimes like thefts and assaults at night
  • Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta : certain areas to be avoided at night
  • New Orleans : many cases of pickpocketing and assaults
  • Florida : petty crime in tourist areas

Fact #7 : Germany Did Not Change Its Travel Advisory On US Crime

Germany did not change its travel advisory on US crime recently, only on “entry by land via Canada or Mexico”. It tells its citizens to be wary of gun violence and common crimes:

  • Pickpocketing, muggings and car break-ins occur in many metropolitan areas in the United States, but the danger varies greatly depending on the town and even within a large city depending on the neighborhood.
  • In poorer neighborhoods, risks for travelers increase, especially after dark, as well as in some tourist areas and on public transport. Shop robberies have increased noticeably in some cities in recent months.
  • It is easy to obtain guns in the United States , leading to increased use of firearms and occasional killing sprees. The number of arms and ammunition purchases has increased significantly during the COVID-19 crisis.

Fact #8 : Mexico Does Not Even Have Travel Advisory For US!

Anyone who read the CNN article would have known that Mexico (currently) does not have any travel advisory for the US. The CNN research team had to dig up a May 2021 travel advisory, which stated that:

  • historical racial and ethnic tension, including opposition to immigration, have led to attacks by violent extremist groups
  • citizens are advised to avoid large crowds, and should always carry a copy of their Mexican passport and an official photo ID

Fact #8 : Japan Warns Its Citizens About Gun Crime

As Japan is a gun-free nation, its government warned its citizens visiting the US that “one of the main security concerns in the United States is gun crime“, with advice on how to get out of an active shooter situation:

  • Find security exits in a new place and have an evacuation plan
  • Escape regardless of whether others agree or not
  • Hide in a room and barricade the door using heavy furniture
  • Keep quiet and mute cell phones

Fact #9 : New Zealand Was Worried About Terrorism Threat

New Zealand did not change its travel advisory on US crime for quite a long time, with the threat level remaining at Level 2 of 4 (Exercise increased caution), due to the “threat of terrorism”.

When it comes to crime, it offered the same common sense advice as other countries:

  • Petty crime such as theft and pickpocketing can occur, particularly in urban centres, tourist locations and on public transport.New Zealanders should stay alert to their surroundings, stay vigilant on public transport and avoid leaving belongings unattended, including in rental vehicles.
  • You should avoid crossing the border by car into Mexico from Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. There have been increased incidents of crime associated with drug trading.
  • There is a higher incidence of violent crime and firearm possession than in New Zealand. In many states, it is legal for United States citizens to openly carry firearms in public. However, crime rates vary considerably across cities and suburbs and incidents rarely involve tourists. New Zealanders should take care when travelling in unfamiliar areas.
  • Active shooter incidents occur in the United States.

Ultimately, this is just another example of Chinese propaganda propagated by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Masato Kudo : Cause of Death NOT Vaccine SADS!

Japanese international soccer player Masato Kudo did NOT die from vaccine SADS, and here are the reasons why!

 

Claim : Masato Kudo Died From Vaccine Sudden Death!

Right after news broke that Masato Kudo died suddenly at 32 years of age, anti-vaccination activists immediately claimed that the Japanese soccer player died from vaccine-induced sudden death (SADS / VIDS / VDS)!

Here is a selection of social media posts accompanying links or articles on his death:

Masato Kudo dead aged 32: Former MLS star and Japan international tragically dies with tributes pouring in 

Another sudden death 💉💉💉

🚨🚨 Nueva #Repentinitis deportiva: muere el exinternacional japonés Masato Kudo a los 32 años‼️

Al final en vez de quiniela habrá que echar el quininfarto 🤔

✅ De nuevo el cambio climático? O Putin? 💉 Lo único seguro es que las vacunas no han tenido nada que ver

DEP 😔

🚨🚨 New sports #Suddenitis: former Japanese international Masato Kudo dies at 32 years old!!

In the end, instead of pools, we will have to cast the quininfarct 🤔

✅ Climate change again? Or Putin? 💉 The only sure thing is that vaccines have had nothing to do with it

RIP 😔

Recommended : Robbie Coltrane : New Victim Of Vaccine Death Claim!

 

Masato Kudo : Cause of Death NOT Vaccine SADS!

It’s now a tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all athlete deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists, and here are the reasons why, and what we know so far…

Fact #1 : Masato Kudo Died From Complications Of Brain Surgery

Masato Kudo (born May 6, 1980) passed away on Friday, October 21, 2022 – at 32 years of age.

He was a former Japanese International and MLS soccer player, who was playing for Japanese football club Tegevajaro Miyazaki as a striker.

His club announced his death, stating that Masato Kudo died following complications from brain surgery.

Masato Kudo was diagnosed with hydrocephalus – a build-up of fluid in the brain’s ventricles, and hospitalised on October 3, after falling ill the day before.

He had surgery on October 11, but his condition deteriorated, and he was moved into intensive care. Unfortunately, he passed away on October 21.

So let me be clear – Masato Kudo’s cause of death was complications of brain surgery, not the COVID-19 vaccine!

Fact #2 : Masato Kudo Did Not Die On The Field

Several websites are using photos of Masato Kudo lying on the football field, bleeding from his mouth, to suggest that he suddenly collapsed and died while playing.

That’s not true. The photos were taken in May 2016, when Masato Kudo was playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps against Chicago Fire.

During that match, Kudo slammed into a goalkeeper from the opposing team, and knocked himself out. He was bleeding from his mouth because he bit his lip and tongue when he smashed his head after passing out.

Masato Kudo, who was 26 years old at that time, was taken to the Vancouver General Hospital where he received surgery for his fractured jaw.

Read more : Robbie Coltrane : New Victim Of Vaccine Death Claim!

Fact #3 : Unknown If Masato Kudo Was Vaccinated

It is currently unknown if Masato Kudo was vaccinated against COVID-19, so it would be wrong for anyone to claim that he died from COVID-19 vaccine side effects.

For all we know – he may not even be vaccinated! The COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory in Japan, despite what anti-vaccination activists may claim.

For example, anti-vaccination activists claimed that Kaden Clymer was almost crippled by a 6-foot long vaccine-induced blood clot, but the high school athlete was never vaccinated against COVID-19!

Fact #4 : Claims Of Athletes Dying From COVID-19 Vaccine Proven False

This is yet another example of anti-vaccination activists abusing athlete deaths / injuries to create and propagate FAKE NEWS about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

So far, claims of athlete deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false at every instance.

Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next athlete tragedy…

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

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